Covid-19: US considers entry restrictions for travelers from China

Faced with the opening of Chinese borders, some want to tighten the screws. The United States is considering imposing entry restrictions on travelers from China following a spike in Covid-19 cases, US officials said on Tuesday.

“The international community is increasingly concerned about the current outbreaks of Covid-19 in China and the lack of transparent data, including data on the genomic sequence of the virus, that are being reported,” US officials said under the guise of a statement of anonymity.

Tracking the “impossible” epidemic

Beijing has admitted that it is “impossible” to follow the evolution of the epidemic and has even stopped publishing daily health data since Sunday. The official figures have come under increasing criticism as their underestimation of infections and deaths has become blatant.

But it is the lack of genomic data that is of most concern overseas, making it “increasingly difficult for public health officials to ensure that they can identify any new emerging potential and take immediate action to reduce the spread,” US officials said. said.

Already measuring in India, Japan and Malaysia

The United States is “following scientific evidence and advice from public health experts, consulting with its partners, and considering taking similar measures (…) to protect the American people,” they added, recalling the concerns expressed by the World Health Organization (WHO). as well as measures taken by Japan, India and Malaysia. Thus, from Friday, Japan will restore mandatory PCR tests for travelers from mainland China.

China’s easing of its COVID-19 measures has ended the massive testing, lockdowns and lengthy lockdowns that have disrupted supply chains and disrupted trade relations with the rest of the world. China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that countries should maintain “scientific and proper” disease control that “should not interfere with normal human exchange.”