The British government is evaluating whether to impose Covid restrictions on Chinese tourists, according to the defense secretary.
Ben Wallace stated that the Department of Transportation would consult with the Department of Health and seek medical advice.
Previously, a former minister of health encouraged the government to investigate testing Chinese imports for Covid.
In response to China’s coronavirus outbreak, several countries are implementing mandatory testing.
When asked if the government would consider limits, Mr. Wallace responded, “The government is looking into it, it’s under review, we’ve seen what the United States and India have done, and I believe Italy has also considered it.”
We constantly monitor health concerns in the United Kingdom, wherever they may exist.
Multiple nations, including the United States, Japan, Italy, and Malaysia, now require testing of Chinese visitors.
This follows an increase in instances in China following Beijing’s decision to abandon the zero-Covid policy.
Will Quince, the minister of health for the United Kingdom, stated that he was aware that many people were concerned about “the news coming out of China” and that the government was taking the situation “very seriously.
Nevertheless, there was “no proof at this time of a new variety from China,” which he described as the “main concern.”
Currently, the variation that is popular in China is also prevalent in the United Kingdom.
In the meanwhile, the Scottish government stated that there are presently no plans to alter travel rules and that it will continue to collaborate with the UK Health Security Agency and other nations to “watch the spread of hazardous variations.
In 2019, 813,532 visas were awarded to Chinese citizens wishing to travel to the United Kingdom. This decreased to less than 200,000 during the subsequent two years as a result of Beijing’s rigorous Covid border inspections.
Lord Bethell, who served as health minister during the pandemic, told there was solid cause to consider testing people upon arrival, a method implemented by Italy.
“What the Italians are doing is post-flight surveillance of arrivals in Italy,” he told, to determine if there are any developing varieties and the impact of the virus on the Italian health system.
This is a prudent course of action that the British government should seriously consider.
China reports approximately 5,000 cases per day, but analysts estimate that this number is grossly underestimated and that the daily caseload may be closer to one million.
Prof. Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, stated that he did not believe the current situation in China will result in a significant increase in Covid cases in the United Kingdom or globally.
While China is in a “dark” and “difficult” place, the research suggests that the variety responsible for the majority of illnesses in the country is “quite widespread elsewhere in the world,” he said. Since its appearance in the summer, he added, the United Kingdom has seen numerous instances of this.
The United States stated on Wednesday that a lack of “sufficient and transparent” Covid data in China was a factor in the decision to mandate Covid tests beginning on January 5 for travelers from China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
Others have declared limits as well:
- Beginning on Friday, Chinese visitors to Japan will be screened for Covid upon arrival.
- Positive test subjects will be quarantined for up to seven days.
- Before entering India, visitors from China and four other Asian nations must present a negative Covid test. Additionally, positive travelers will be quarantined.
- In the month of January, Taiwan mandated that passengers arriving on planes from China, as well as those arriving by boat at two islands, would be required to do Covid tests. Positive individuals can sequester themselves at home.
- Malaysia will begin testing the wastewater from Chinese-bound aircraft, monitor the body temperatures of all international arrivals, including those from China, and examine anyone exhibiting symptoms.
Additionally, Italy has mandated Covid testing for Chinese travelers.
Italy urged the rest of the EU on Thursday to ensure that all Chinese entrants be screened. However, according to the EU’s disease agency, the increase in cases in China is not likely to affect member states, and screening travelers from China for Covid would be “unjustified.”
The foreign ministry of Beijing has stated that coronavirus regulations should only be implemented on a “scientific” basis and has accused Western nations and the media of “hyping up” the situation.
China’s decision to lift quarantine for arrivals was just revealed on Monday, thereby reopening travel into and out of the country for the first time since March 2020.
