Corona pandemic: Beijing condemns compulsory testing for travelers to China

Status: 03.01.2023 12:43 p.m

The government in Beijing has criticized the test requirement for travelers from China in several countries and announced countermeasures. The restrictions are “unacceptable” and “discriminatory”. German medical officers are demanding Europe-wide tests.

Against the background of the massive corona wave in China, the government in Beijing has spoken out against strict entry regulations from other countries for travelers from the People’s Republic.

The entry restrictions imposed by some countries have no scientific basis and are sometimes unacceptable, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning in Beijing. “We firmly oppose attempts to manipulate the corona measures for political purposes and will take countermeasures on the basis of the principle of reciprocity.”

Beijing: Variants can arise anywhere

Mao Ning said experts see no need for this because variants could arise anywhere in the world. Responses should be “science-based and appropriate”. “No one should seize the opportunity to engage in political manipulation or discriminatory responses.” The measures should not affect normal travel.

The spokeswoman also pointed out that Chinese authorities have “timely, openly and transparently” shared information about the recent spread of the virus in China with other countries.

China has also submitted genome data from recent cases to the Munich-based global science initiative GISAID, which promotes free access to information on influenza and Covid-19 viruses. A few days ago, Chinese authorities also held a virtual meeting with the World Health Organization (WHO), in which the two sides exchanged views on the current situation, clinical treatments, vaccinations and other technical issues, Mao Ning said.

Official doctors are demanding Europe-wide testing

Meanwhile, the German medical officers are calling for a uniform test requirement for all travelers from China in the European Union. In the event of an explosive spread, as is currently the case in China, one must expect the virus to mutate, said Johannes Nießen, chairman of the Federal Association of Public Health Physicians, to the newspapers of the Funke media group. That’s why you have to be prepared.

A Europe-wide uniform protection concept is now needed, according to the doctor. Every traveler from China should be tested by a rapid test when entering the EU. The rule must apply to business travelers, tourists and other visitors. If the test result is positive, a PCR test must follow and the sample must be sequenced. Anyone who has become infected should definitely have to go into isolation, according to Nießen.

EU debates common strategy

The EU states want to work on a common strategy for dealing with the Chinese corona policy on Wednesday. The question is whether and how the authorities should test incoming air passengers from China for new variants of the corona virus.

Several member countries have already taken steps of their own in the past week. Around a dozen countries, including the USA, Japan, Israel and also European countries such as France, Spain and Great Britain, have already ordered travelers from China to be tested for corona. Morocco even went a step further and banned all entry from China, regardless of the nationality of travelers.

In December alone 248 million infected

China abruptly announced the end of its zero-Covid policy on December 7th – since then the most populous country has been experiencing a huge corona wave. According to officially unconfirmed internal estimates, 248 million people or 18 percent of the population were infected with Corona in the first three weeks of December alone. The wave has peaked in major cities and is sweeping rural areas this month, state media said.

Since 2020, China itself has imposed strict entry restrictions, has hardly issued any visas and has demanded a quarantine until December.

source site