Sweden to announce decision on potential Covid-19 travel restrictions
In a press conference later today, Sweden's health minister Jakob Forssmed and department head of the Public Health Agency, Sara Byfors, are expected to make an announcement on whether Sweden will introduce restrictions for travellers arriving from China.
Yesterday, the EU's crisis response mechanism (IPCR) recommended that member states start testing travellers arriving from China for Covid-19.
This recommendation is advisory and not legally binding, leaving it up to member states to decide whether to introduce tests or a testing requirement.
Earlier this week, Sara Byfors said that it is pointless if Sweden is the only country to introduce a negative test requirement.
Byfors and Forssmed are expected to announce whether Sweden will introduce a test requirement for travellers arriving from China in a press conference today at 9:30, which The Local will be covering.
Here's our article from earlier this week going over what we know so far about the possible negative test requirement, and who it could affect.
China has lessened many of its Covid-19 restrictions in recent weeks. Next week, it will start producing passports for its citizens again, and the requirement to quarantine upon return to China will be removed.
However, there is still a high level of Covid-19 infection in the country, which has led multiple countries to introduce restrictions on travellers from China or plan to do so.
On Tuesday, China threatened to "take countermeasures".
"This lacks a scientific basis and some methods are completely unacceptable," said Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry.
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Yesterday, the EU's crisis response mechanism (IPCR) recommended that member states start testing travellers arriving from China for Covid-19.
This recommendation is advisory and not legally binding, leaving it up to member states to decide whether to introduce tests or a testing requirement.
Earlier this week, Sara Byfors said that it is pointless if Sweden is the only country to introduce a negative test requirement.
Byfors and Forssmed are expected to announce whether Sweden will introduce a test requirement for travellers arriving from China in a press conference today at 9:30, which The Local will be covering.
Here's our article from earlier this week going over what we know so far about the possible negative test requirement, and who it could affect.
China has lessened many of its Covid-19 restrictions in recent weeks. Next week, it will start producing passports for its citizens again, and the requirement to quarantine upon return to China will be removed.
However, there is still a high level of Covid-19 infection in the country, which has led multiple countries to introduce restrictions on travellers from China or plan to do so.
On Tuesday, China threatened to "take countermeasures".
"This lacks a scientific basis and some methods are completely unacceptable," said Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry.
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