China’s recent announcement that it will suspend its zero-COVID policy has prompted certain nations’ fears that enormous numbers of travelers may spread the disease.
The UK’s response to China’s decision to allow international travel is “under evaluation,” according to the defense secretary.
Ben Wallace made these remarks after a government spokeswoman stated that there were no plans to implement obligatory COVID-19 testing for Chinese visitors to the United Kingdom and several countries enforced controls.
Following China’s announcement that it was abandoning its COVID-zero policy and ready to reopen its borders in January, this news comes as a result.
There are concerns that the termination of nearly three years of rigorous controls in the 1,4 billion-person nation could result in a catastrophic global spread of the disease.
The United States said on Wednesday that, from January 5, all Chinese arrivals will be required to present a negative COVID test result taken no more than two days before their trip.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States stated that the decision was made due to the increase in infections and a lack of adequate and transparent information from China, specifically regarding the strains circulating in the country.
This followed the announcements by India, Italy, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Japan that they would similarly impose restrictions on Chinese travelers.
Mr. Wallace, defense minister, was asked if the British government would consider imposing limits on Chinese tourists “The government is examining this, and it is now under review; we’ve seen what the United States and India, and I believe Italy, have done in this regard.
We always monitor health hazards to the United Kingdom, wherever they may exist.
I believe the Department of Transport will seek medical advice, consult with the Department of Health, and make a decision based on what we learn from China, although it is now under evaluation.”
Previously, a government spokeswoman stated, “There are no plans to restore COVID-19 testing or extra entry criteria for the United Kingdom.
They stressed, however, that the UK Health Security Agency will continue to monitor the occurrence and spread of dangerous variations and analyze international statistics.
Due to Beijing’s statement, millions of Chinese citizens will be permitted to go abroad for the Lunar New Year vacation next month – the first time this has been possible since 2020.
Following the news, overseas ticket reservations and visa information searches on the websites of travel providers Trip.com and Qunar increased, with Japan, Thailand, South Korea, the United States, Great Britain, and Australia being the most popular destinations.
Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, told ABC that there would be no changes to the country’s admission requirements at this time, adding, “We continue to watch the situation and the impact of COVID in Australia and throughout the world.”
Similarly, the New Zealand Ministry of Health told the NZ Herald, “…the present public health policies remain appropriate for handling the epidemic.”
The Bangkok Post reported that the Thai government is preparing to welcome Chinese tourists to the country, citing the transport minister Saksayam Chidchob’s statement that the Ministry of Public Health was collaborating with the Chinese embassy on “travel measures,” although no additional information was provided.
He stated that he believed the ministry was capable of handling the COVID situation.
In Singapore, The Straits Times reported that the requirements for Chinese arrivals will remain the same; those who are not completely vaccinated will be required to undergo a pre-departure test, and short-term visitors will be required to have insurance for COVID-related medical expenses.
Almost 37 million people may have been infected with the virus on a single day last week, according to the Bloomberg news agency. The exact scope of COVID-19 infections in China is unknown due to the lack of trustworthy official information.
