Testing capacity can't meet international travel needs says expert

When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Under current restrictions, people from only seven countries, including Australia and Singapore, are allowed to enter the 27-nation EU on holidays or for other non-essential reasons, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated. Under the European Commission’s new proposals, which require member states’ approval, foreign citizens who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and those who arrive from countries with a “good epidemiological situation” would be allowed in. People arriving from Britain, Russia and a number of other countries would be able to meet the new criteria, according to data provided by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) while US citizens would not.

European Commission spokesperson Adalbert Jahnz said: “The Commission is proposing to ease restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU to take into account progress of vaccination campaigns and developments in the epidemiological situation worldwide while addressing variants through a new emergency brake mechanism.

“Among the main changes, we propose to allow entry to the EU for non-essential reasons.

“Not only for persons coming from countries with a good epidemiological situation but also for all people who have received the last recommended dose of an EU authorised vaccine.

“This could be extended to vaccines having completed the WHO emergency use process.

“In addition, we also propose to raise the threshold used to determine a list of countries of which all travel should be permitted.

“This should allow the council to expand this list.

“At the same time, the emergence of coronavirus variants of concern calls for continued vigilance.

“Therefore as a counter-balance, we propose an emergency brake mechanism to be coordinated at EU level which would limit the risks of such variants entering the EU.”

More to follow…

Source: Read Full Article