The United States is considering imposing restrictions on the entry of travelers from China, where authorities have abruptly eased measures to combat Covid-19. US officials said so. The United States is “following science and the advice of public health experts, consulting with partners, and considering similar measures … to protect the American people,” officials said, citing concerns voiced by the World Health Organization. (WHO) and the measures taken by Japan, India and Malaysia.
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Lorenzo Lamperti
Infections have multiplied across China as key pillars of containment policy are dismantled, prompting US officials to express concern about the possibility of unleashing new variants. That potential became even more real on Monday when Beijing said it would lift mandatory Covid quarantines for overseas arrivals starting Jan. 8, prompting many Chinese to rush to plan overseas trips.
“The international community is increasingly concerned about the ongoing waves of COVID-19 in China and the lack of transparent data, including that of viral genomic sequences, being reported from the PRC,” US officials said, referring to the People’s Republic of China. The Beijing authorities have acknowledged that the epidemic is “impossible” to monitor and have eliminated the much-criticized counting of cases, as well as narrowing the criteria by which deaths from Covid are counted.
But it’s the lack of genomic data that has sparked particular concern overseas, making it “increasingly difficult for public health officials to ensure they will be able to identify any potential new variants and take prompt steps to reduce the spread,” they said. said US officials.