The European Commission has convened a meeting of EU-27 health ministers on Thursday morning to adopt a «coordinated» response to the upsurge of coronavirus infections in China, after Italy has already announced that it will ask for a negative test for people coming from the Asian giant.
In this regard, Commission sources consulted by Europa Press have recalled before the meeting of the Health Security Committee that, when in October it was already agreed to lift the pending mobility restrictions, it was also left open the possibility of activating an «emergency brake» to re-impose restrictions «in a coordinated manner».
This approach was endorsed by the EU-27 on December 7, so that the bloc would have leeway to tighten controls if it considered it necessary to avoid possible collateral effects arising from the explosion of contagions in China.
Brussels recalls that the prevalent variant in China, the omicron BF7, is already present in Europe and «has not grown significantly» in recent weeks. «However, we remain vigilant and are ready to use the emergency brake if necessary,» the sources explained.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
