CHINA-HEALTH EMERGENCY: FEARS OF A SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19 PROMPTS CHINA TO STOP ENTRY OF ALMOST ALL FOREIGNERS
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FT reported (March 27) that China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) announced (March 26) it would temporarily suspend visits from almost all foreign nationals amid mounting fears that those returning to China after the country eased its travel restrictions were sparking a second wave of cases. The new measures prevent entry by almost all holders of visas and residence permits starting on March 28. It said a small number of diplomatic visa holders would be exempt. In its announcement, MoFA said it had “no alternative” but to issue the new restrictions given the mixed response to the pandemic in other countries. It did not mention which countries it believed were at fault. Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, said China had told a group of global health officials this week that it had been forced to rethink policies after the moderation of its lockdown triggered an influx of overseas travellers who may be carrying the virus. Anthony Fauci said “Our Chinese colleagues are very concerned. They have very, very few [new] cases, but what they’re starting to see as they’re relaxing the constraints on travel, that they’re getting imported cases.”
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