A number of EU countries had already tightened the rules for entry from China on their own.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Brussels In view of the massive corona wave in China, according to the European Commission, the majority of EU countries are now supporting mandatory corona tests for travelers from the People’s Republic. “The overwhelming majority of countries are in favor of pre-departure testing,” said a spokesman for the Brussels authority on Tuesday after a meeting of representatives of the 27 national health ministries.
This represents a reversal: last Thursday, the same body had not found any measures necessary. Since then, however, after Italy, Spain and France have also announced compulsory testing for travelers from China. Austria and Belgium want to examine the wastewater from aircraft for possible new corona variants.
And now the mood among the 27 EU countries seems to be changing. In principle, a “coordinated approach” was agreed, said the spokesman. The discussion is to be continued this Wednesday afternoon at another crisis meeting. According to the Commission, a final decision should be made there.
EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides wrote on Twitter after Tuesday’s meeting, they had come closer to each other on individual measures. Specifically, she mentioned tests before departure and increased monitoring of waste water from aircraft.
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The statement that the authority had prepared for the meeting on Tuesday also proposes increased sequencing of corona samples after arrival and a mask requirement on flights from China.
The EU health authority sees no danger from the Covid wave in China
The EU health authority ECDC is sticking to its assessment that the Covid wave in China has no impact on the epidemiological situation in Europe. The corona variants in China were already circulating in Europe and did not pose a challenge to the immune response of citizens in the EU, the authority confirmed on Tuesday. She emphasized the high vaccination protection and the immunization of Europeans against all known variants.
At the same time, the EU again offered to help the Chinese government. A commission spokeswoman said they offered expertise and free vaccine doses. An official response from Beijing was still pending.
However, the spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said at the daily press conference that the stock of vaccines in China is adequate.
More: New vaccines, medicines from the West – How China is preparing for the corona wave