Munich/Berlin (dpa/lby) - Because of the corona wave in China, Bavaria is demanding that the federal government coordinate with the federal states in a timely manner about possible requirements for travelers from the People's Republic of China. "The very high number of new infections with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus reported from China, in conjunction with the lifting of isolation measures and travel restrictions, poses the risk of new virus variants emerging and spreading uncontrollably," said Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) on Friday in Munich with Germany should also offer China support with vaccines.
An objective assessment of the actual infection situation is made more difficult by a lack of transparent data, stressed Holetschek. He pointed out that the USA and Italy, among others, have already reacted to these worrying developments and have introduced restrictive regulations for entry from China. "I wrote to Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) asking him to put this topic on the agenda of the meeting of the federal-state group for hospital reform on January 5, thus enabling a timely exchange."
In view of the corona wave in China, some countries have introduced a test requirement for travelers from the People's Republic. In Italy, air travelers have had to take a mandatory corona test at the airport since Thursday after landing. Spain also announced that a corona test or a full vaccination would have to be proven when entering China. In the USA (from January 5th) and India (from Sunday) travelers must present a negative result before departure.
No direct flights from the People's Republic of China are currently arriving at Munich Airport. "But of course Bavaria will closely monitor the further course of the infection in the People's Republic of China and take the necessary protective measures at an early stage if there are signs of the emergence of a new worrying virus variant," emphasized Holetschek.
Measures to prevent the spread of worrying variants of the coronavirus when people enter Germany are regulated in the Federal Coronavirus Entry Ordinance. This provides for a registration, isolation and PCR test verification obligation for people entering the country from a virus variant area. No countries - including China - are currently classified as virus variant areas.
After almost three years of strict precautions, China's leadership abruptly announced an end to its controversial zero-corona policy on December 7th. According to officially unconfirmed internal estimates, 248 million people or 18 percent of the population were infected with Corona in the first three weeks of December alone. Scientists warn that the corona wave could produce new variants that would then find their way to other countries.
