Following the decision by several countries to make Covid-19 tests mandatory for travellers coming from China, the Chinese authorities announced that it is considering "countermeasures" in retaliation.
Japan, South Korea, the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as Italy, Spain and France will be requiring tests from Chinese travellers. Other countries, including Belgium, are not (yet) requiring tests but will analyse the wastewater of direct flights from China.
"Some countries have put entry restrictions in place aimed solely at Chinese travellers. This has no scientific basis and some practices are unacceptable," stated a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, adding that China could "take countermeasures, based on the principle of reciprocity."
Monitoring, not panicking
The tighter rules in countries across the world follow China's decision to ease its zero-Covid policy and loosen restrictions: from 8 January, Chinese residents will again be allowed to travel abroad without restriction, despite the fact that the country is currently facing a huge wave of Covid-19 infections.
This is worrying authorities worldwide, Belgian experts have stated that while the situation should be monitored closely, Europeans are, in general, very well-protected against the Omicron variant currently raging in China.
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"We have a very high level of protection against Omicron due to the massive vaccination campaigns, and a lot of people here already went through an infection as well. For now, that will be enough," said Belgium's Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke last week.
In China, there is little resistance against this Omicron variant, partly because of low vaccination figures and vaccines of inferior quality, stressed experts, adding that this is not an issue in Europe.
On Wednesday, an EU-level Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR) meeting will take place, where a coordination of the Member States' national responses is expected to be discussed.
