[ローマ/ブリュッセル ２９日 ロイター] – Italian Prime Minister Meloni said at a press conference on the 29th that he hopes the European Union (EU) will make it mandatory for travelers from China to be tested for the new coronavirus.
However, at present, many are of the opinion that such measures are not necessary, and that the EU as a whole should take a common position.
Due to the rapid spread of new coronavirus infections in China and doubts about official statistics, the United States and Japan have made it mandatory for travelers from China to present a negative certificate.
Italy is the only country in the EU that requires antigen tests for travelers arriving from China. Meloni argued that it would only be effective if the other EU countries were in step.
But Otran, chairman of the French Commission for the Monitoring and Prediction of Health Risks (COVARS), told Classic Radio: “From a scientific point of view, at the moment there is no reason to restore border controls.”
He said the situation was under control for now, and there were no signs of a worrying new strain of the virus circulating in China.
Germany and Portugal have also said they do not need new travel restrictions, while Austria has emphasized the economic benefits of returning Chinese tourists.
A meeting of EU health ministers ended on Thursday without agreeing on a common policy. “We need to act together, we will continue to talk,” the European Commission tweeted, without saying when talks would resume.
