France, UK the latest to impose ‘understandable’ COVID tests on Chinese passengers
The UK and France will impose COVID tests on passengers arriving on flights from China as the World Health Organisation called on China to release more data on the magnitude of its outbreak and said the failure to do so made the reaction from other countries understandable.
Passengers coming with an Air China flight from Guangzhou, China, leave a COVID-19 testing area set at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci international airport in Fiumicino, on Thursday.“In the absence of comprehensive information from China, it is understandable that countries around the world are acting in ways that they believe may protect their populations,” he said.
WHO said it “again asked” for China to regularly share specific and real-time data including: more genetic sequencing data, data on disease impact including hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths, as well as vaccination rates.Chinese scientists have been asked to present detailed data on viral sequencing to the WHO on January 3.
But facing pressure from MPs, including two former health ministers, Downing Street was set to announce the new testing rules.Just seconds after the British media began reporting the expected change, the press across the Channel said France too was to follow suit.The French will require a negative test taken no more than two days before travel on direct flights from China as well as flights with stopovers. Masks would also be mandatory for passengers on flights from China.
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