China: President Xi’s message as the coronavirus nightmare awakens – Countries around the world are “fortifying”

The Chinese President Xi Jinping assured yesterday Saturday that “the light of hope is before us”, while his country is faced with an explosion of covid-19 cases after the sudden lifting of health restrictions.

Three years after the first cases of the new coronavirus were detected in the city of Wuhan, China ended its draconian “zero covid” policy on December 7.

After the restrictions are lifted hospitals in china were filled with covid patients, mostly the elderly, while crematoria have also reached their limits. Moreover, there is a shortage of antipyretics in many pharmacies.

“Prevention and control of the epidemic entered a new phase. We are still in a difficult period,” but “the light of hope is before us,” Xi assured in his televised New Year address.

This is the second public comment the Chinese president has made on the outbreak this week. On Monday, he had asked the people of China to take measures “to effectively protect the lives of the residents.”

The authorities announced for yesterday Saturday more than 7,000 covid cases and one death. However, these numbers do not seem to correspond to reality.

China has largely kept its borders closed to foreign citizens since 2020. Authorities have not issued tourist visas for nearly three years and subject travelers to mandatory quarantine upon arrival. The measure is lifted from January 8 but the 48-hour negative test will remain mandatory. At the same time, from the same date the Chinese will be able to travel abroad.

However, for precautionary reasons, several European countries – including France and Italy -, as well as others in the world, such as the USA and Japan, have announced that they will request a negative covid test from travelers arriving on their territory from China .

Joint EU response

For their part, the EU member countries are expected to discuss their joint reaction on Wednesday, as announced yesterday by Sweden, which takes over from today the rotating presidency of the bloc.

THE Stockholm pointed out that he decided to activate the IPCR, a tool that allows the cabinet to react immediately in crisis situations.

The precautionary measures taken by many countries are “understandable” due to the lack of information from Beijing, the head of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

“In the absence of comprehensive information from China it is understandable that countries are taking measures that they believe will protect their populations,” he noted.

However the International Airports Council of Europe (ACI Europe)—which represents more than 500 airports in 55 European countries—seems to disagree. “These unilateral actions run counter to the experience and data we have gathered over the past three years,” he said in a statement.

Beijing assures that the data it provides about the epidemiological situation in the country has always been transparent.

Thanks to the “zero covid” policy, China’s population had been largely protected from the epidemic, thanks to mass diagnostic tests, strict monitoring of movements, but also by the imposition of lockdowns on entire regions after the detection of a few cases and isolation in special quarantine centers for those who tested positive for covid.

The extreme measures, which have largely isolated China from the rest of the world, have dealt a severe blow to the country’s economy, while protests against health restrictions broke out in November.

Australia and Canada are taking action

Australia is following in the footsteps of other countries announcing restrictive measures against travelers from China. Travelers from China to Australia will be required to provide proof that they have been tested for the new coronavirus with a negative result from Thursday, January 5, Australian Health Minister Mark Butler announced today. The measure is being taken as a precaution, Mr. Butler explained during a press conference.

Also, the Canadian government announced on Saturday that it will require travelers to Canada who board flights from China to be provided with a certificate that they have been tested for the new coronavirus with a negative result. The measure, which will take effect at midnight (local time) on Thursday, January 5, applies to all travelers aged two and over who board flights to Canada from airports in China, Hong Kong and Macau. Tests must be completed no later than 48 hours prior to boarding and certificates must be submitted to the airline prior to boarding the aircraft.

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