(Jan 4): The European Union is moving toward an approach to the rampant Covid outbreak in China that may include masks and pre-flight testing requirements on flights from the country.

EU health advisers agreed Tuesday on a draft opinion that includes masking recommendations and increased wastewater monitoring and suggests discussing Covid testing, according to a commission spokesman. A strong majority of countries back pre-departure tests, the spokesman added.

Such steps would go beyond the recommendations from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, which said last week that screening rules and travel restrictions weren’t justified.

EU ambassadors, who meet Wednesday to discuss the recommendations, would need to approve any requirements.

“Unity remains our strongest tool against Covid,” the EU’s health commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, tweeted.

Today ???? Health Security Committee converged on action including:

▶ Pre-departure testing for travellers from China
▶ Stepped up wastewater monitoring
▶ Increased domestic surveillance

Discussion continues tomorrow in IPCR.

???? unity remains our strongest tool against COVID. — Stella Kyriakides (@SKyriakidesEU) January 3, 2023

Earlier on Tuesday, the ECDC said that the Chinese outbreak so far consists of the same variants already circulating in the EU. “A surge in cases in China is not expected to impact the Covid-19 epidemiological situation” in Europe, it said.

Several European countries, including Italy and Spain, have already imposed testing rules on flights from China. For its part, China said it would hit back at nations that placed Covid restrictions on its travellers for “political goals”.