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EU doesn’t follow Italy with COVID checks on China arrivals

The European Union is assessing Beijing’s rollback of its strict anti-infection controls but refrained Thursday from immediately following EU member Italy in requiring coronavirus tests for airline passengers coming from China.
Health officials from the 27-member bloc promised to continue talks on seeking a common approach to travel rules. However, the EU’s executive arm said the BF.7 omicron variant prevalent in China was already circulating in Europe and that its threat had not significantly grown.
“However, we remain vigilant and will be ready to use the emergency brake if necessary,” the European Commission said in a statement.
Even though virus experts in the EU have played down the immediate danger, Italy made coronavirus tests mandatory for all airline passengers arriving from China. More than 50% of people screened upon arrival at Milan’s Malpensa airport in recent days tested positive for the virus.
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni on Thursday increased pressure on the EU to join Italy’s approach. She said requiring COVID tests of all passengers from China “is only effective if it is taken at the European level,’’ noting that many arrive in Italy on connecting flights through other European countries.
Considering the reluctance from several EU nations and experts, the EU’s health security committee said in a statement after meeting Thursday that “we need to act jointly and will continue our discussions.”

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