The European Union member states have begun planning for the implementation of coordinated controls on passengers arriving from China. This could include mandatory pre-travel testing to avoid consequences of China’s sudden reversal of its zero-Covid policy. The decision will likely be finalized on Wednesday and would follow in the path of the US, who has tightened controls on arrivals from China in the past. France, Spain, and Italy have already announced independent controls on arrivals from China.
Last month, China announced that it would remove all of its remaining quarantine and Covid-testing restrictions for travelers visiting the country. Since the announcement, there has been a surge in airplane tickets in and out of the country. The reversal of the three year old zero-Covid policies could have negative effects on the progress of the pandemic. A health spokesperson for the European Commission stated that it recommended mask wearing, increased monitoring of wastewater for Covid, genomic surveillance, and increased follow-up with travelers.
Read More: EU Set to Impose Coordinated Controls on Travelers From China