GERMANY CLASSIFIES CHINA AS ‘THREATENING VIRUS VARIANT AREA’ AS OF MONDAY

Sat 07 January 2023:

Due to the current COVID-19 outbreak in China, Germany advised against non-essential travel to China on Saturday, classifying it as a “threatening virus variant area” as of Monday, according to the Foreign Office.

The office also explained on its website that the decision was made due to China’s “peak level of COVID-19 infections and the overburdened healthcare system.”

Germany’s disease control agency Robert Koch Institute (RKI) also said “the People’s Republic of China, excluding the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is considered a virus variant area of emerging concern as of 0 a.m. on January 9, 2023.”

The phrase “threatening to occur” is a new category in the classification of virus variant areas, the institute added.

According to the new measures, stricter entry regulations for travelers from China, including antigen or PCR tests, will take effect in Germany on Monday.

According to a government statement, Germany follows the EU states’ joint recommendations.

Before departing for Germany, Chinese passengers will be required to present at least one negative antigen rapid test result that is no more than 48 hours old to the airlines.

Those arriving from China will also be subjected to random testing upon arrival, at the request of authorities.

Germany, like Austria and Belgium, wants to test the wastewater from Chinese aircraft for potential new coronavirus variants.

Beijing suspends social media accounts critical of government COVID-19 policies

On Saturday, Beijing suspended or shut down more than 1,000 accounts critical of the government’s coronavirus policies on China’s alternative to Twitter.

Sina Weibo said it addressed 12,854 violations, including attacks on experts and medical workers.

China’s ruling Communist Party had largely relied on the medical community to justify its tough lockdowns and quarantine measures and allows no direct criticism of its policies.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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