EU nations agree on pre-departure Covid test for flyers from China, formal decision on Wednesday

The European Union Health Security Committee stated on Tuesday that there has beenan agreement among EU membersover the evolving Covid scenario and they have decided to take a "coordinated approach," noting that this will have implications for Chinese travellers.

Stella Kyriakides, the head of the EU's health department, said the committee took steps, including pre-departure testing for Chinese travellers, expanded wastewater monitoring, and ramped-up domestic surveillance to contain the fresh outbreak.

According to the European Commission, 27 member countries of the EU will make mandatory for passengers flying out from China be properly tested for Covid before departure."The overwhelming majority of countries are in favour of pre-departure testing," a commission spokesman said after Tuesday's meeting, Reuters reported.

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The unanimous recommendation came after deliberations at a meeting between EU health ministry officials held in Brussels on Tuesday.

A crisis meeting is slated for Wednesday, where it will be decided as to what synchronised actions will be taken across the bloc.

EU offers China free vaccines as cases surge, WHO advisers demand ‘realistic’ data

Meanwhile, the EU has offered free vaccines to China to help it curb the Covid outbreak. The initiative was taken by EU’s Kyriakides, but China has not yet responded to the offer.

This comes after China decided to lift its "zero Covid" policy, following which the Chinese citizens and residents demanded flights to travel across the world.

Also Read |China warns of 'counter-measures' against countries seeking negative Covid test from flyers

The EU is concerned that a rapid surge of Chinese passengers could carry unknown coronavirus strains to different parts of the world that the current vaccines might not be able to resist

China's Covid data is widely believed to be insufficient and imprecise, leading WHO advisers to demand 'realistic' data from China.

Reacting to curbs by various nations, a defiant Beijing has threatened countermeasures against “unacceptable” Covid measures.

A renowned Shanghai physician admitted that the coronavirus may have infected more than 70% of the city's residents. Still, the Covid pandemic testing requirements imposed on visitors from China across countries have drawn harsh criticism from the Chinese government.

Watch | Rise in Covid cases despite zero-Covid policy

China has threatened to take action against the countries seeking negative Covid tests from flyers,including the US and other European countries.

“We believe that the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting China lack scientific basis, and some excessive practices are even more unacceptable,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday.

Notably, China itself has some of the most stringent entry rules for visitors from other countries. It will no longer require a five-day quarantine for all arrivals, but will still demand a Covidtest result that is negative within 48 hours of the trip.

(With inputs from agencies)