UK Announces COVID-19 Restrictions On China Arrivals
The UK government has announced it will follow other countries by requiring travellers from China to provide a negative COVID-19 test from early next year.
From Jan. 5, people flying from mainland China to England will be asked to take a pre-departure test taken no more than two days prior to departure, the government announced on Dec. 30.
In addition, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will launch new surveillance measures on Jan. 8, which will see a sample of passengers arriving in England from mainland China tested for COVID-19 at the point of their arrival.
The government said the measures have been introduced “due to a lack of comprehensive health information shared by China.”
“If there are improvements in information sharing and greater transparency then temporary measures will be reviewed,” it added.
There are no direct flights from China to Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, but the government said it would be working with the devolved administrations to ensure measures are implemented across the UK.
UK Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “As COVID cases in China rise ahead of them reopening their borders next week, it is right for us to take a balanced and precautionary approach by announcing these temporary measures while we assess the data. This allows our world leading scientists at the UK Health Security Agency to gain rapid insight into potential new variants circulating in China.”
He reiterated the government’s position that “the best defence against the virus” remains the vaccine, and urged people to come forward for vaccines or boosters.
Monitoring New Variants
Under the new measures, passengers arriving at London Heathrow Airport will be invited to take part in the study and all positive samples will be sent for sequencing.
“This will further enhance the UK’s ability to identify any new variants which may be circulating in China that could evade the immune response of those already vaccinated or which have the potential to successfully outcompete other variants and spread internationally,” the government said.
Professor Susan Hopkins, chief medical advisor at UKHSA, said: “The evidence suggests the recent rise in cases in China is due to low natural immunity and lower vaccine uptake including boosters rather than the emergence of new COVID-19 variants—unlike in the UK where vaccines are maintaining high population protection. But in order to improve our intelligence, we are enhancing our surveillance, in addition to our current routine testing protocol.
“COVID-19 cases continue to rise at home too and it remains important to try to stay at home if you are unwell, wash your hands regularly, try to keep rooms well ventilated, and remember the best protection is to get your booster jab if eligible.”
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https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/uk-announces-covid-19-restrictions-china-arrivals