EU agency says COVID checks on China travelers 'unjustified'

The European Union's health agency on Thursday said new blocwide measures in response to China's decision to lift its COVID-19 travel ban were not necessary. 

Despite an unprecedented surge in coronavirus infections, China is easing its curbs on travel to and from the country following protests against its strict zero-COVID policy.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said it considered "screenings and travel measures on travelers from China unjustified."

The agency said in a statement that the BF7 omicron variant prevalent in China was already circulating in the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA), and that its threat had not significantly grown.

"Given higher population immunity in the EU/EEA, as well as the prior emergence and subsequent replacement of variants currently circulating in China by other Omicron sub-lineages in the EU/EEA, a surge in cases in China is not expected to impact the COVID-19 epidemiological situation in the EU/EEA," the ECDC the said.

Which countries will require COVID tests from travelers from China?

India, Japan, Taiwan, Italy and the US are among the countries introducing mandatory COVID-19 tests on all travelers from China. 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she "expects and hopes" for Rome's measures to be implemented on an EU level.

"Italy cannot be the only country to carry out anti-COVID checks at airports for those arriving from China," said Matteo Salvini, Italy's deputy prime minister and transport minister. "I have asked that checks and possible limitations be applied throughout Europe." 

How have other countries reacted to China's move?

While French President Emmanuel Macron said he had asked authorities to take "appropriate measures" to protect citizens, French health officials said they saw "no reason" to reintroduce measures on travelers. 

"From a scientific point of view, there is no reason at this stage to bring back controls at the borders," Brigitte Autran, head of the French health risk assessment committee COVARS, said on French Radio Classique on Thursday.

Germany also said it saw no need to bring back travel restrictions. Austria noted that the return of Chinese tourists to Europe comes with economic benefits. 

What travel rules is China easing? 

Following two years of some of the world's strictest COVID policies, China began relaxing its lockdowns and extensive testing and announced that it would no longer release an official daily COVID death toll. 

The country is scrapping its quarantine requirement for travelers from abroad on January 8. Until now, passengers arriving from abroad, including Chinese nationals, have had to quarantine for five days at a hotel, followed by three days at home.

The move is widely expected to revive international tourism, as Chinese tourists had long made up a large proportion of the world's tourist population before the pandemic.

fb/sms (AFP, Reuters)