The EU member states are generally following the agreed common approach in dealing with passengers to and from China according to the Commission’s Health Security Committee (HSC).
As previously reported, the member states agreed in beginning of January to recommend a number of cautionary measures and disregard the protests of the Chinese authorities. The decision was described as a coordinated precautionary approach in response to the increase of COVID-cases in China and taken at a meeting of the Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR).
The member states were strongly encouraged to introduce, for all passengers departing from China to Member States, the requirement for a negative COVID-19 test taken not more than 48 hours prior to departure from China. All passengers on flights to and from China should wear a medical mask.
Member states were also encouraged to complement these measures with random testing of passengers arriving from China on arrival in the EU, the sequencing of all positive results to strengthen surveillance of the epidemiological situation, and testing and sequencing of wastewater from airports with international flights and aircraft arriving from China.
The Commission is relying on scientific advice from the HSC which includes experts from the health authorities in the member states. In a meeting last week, the HSC took stock of the implementation of the decision and discussed the measures taken by member states, based on a survey addressed to the members of the HSC.
The EU expert agencies, ECDC and EASA, have in the meantime also issued similar recommendations as part of the European response to COVID-19 developments in China. They include non-pharmaceutical measures to reduce the spread of the virus, such as mask-wearing and testing of travellers, but also monitoring of waste water as an early warning tool to detect new variants.
France, Italy and Spain were already before the Council recommendation requiring pre-departure tests in China. Asked by The Brussels Times about the implementation of the recommendation, the Commission replied on Monday that it had received notification from 12 member states that they are requiring the test (AT, BE, CY, DK, DE, EL, ES, FR, IT, NL, PT, and SE). 10 Member States have direct flights with China.
There was no information about the other recommended measures by member state.
The Brussels Times
