
According to US sources, the US government is concerned about COVID spikes in China and the Chinese government’s lack of openness, which has prompted the US to contemplate placing new restrictions on Chinese visitors to the US.
“There are growing worldwide concerns about the continuous COVID-19 surges in China and the lack of transparent data, including viral genome sequence data, being reported by the PRC,” the officials, who requested anonymity, said in a written statement. “Without this data, public health officials are finding it increasingly difficult to ensure that they would be able to identify any potential new variations and take quick measures to restrict the spread.”
The officials stated that public health officials in the United States have been discussing “their concerns about this and potential steps that can be taken to effectively monitor the surge of COVID cases and identify any potential variants of concern” with partners across the world.
On Tuesday, Bloomberg was the first to publish the news.
The World Health Organization, Japan, India, and Malaysia have all raised alarm, according to the officials. Japan has declared that travellers from China will be required to have a negative COVID test upon arrival, and Malaysia “has announced increased tracking and surveillance procedures,” according to officials.
“The U.S. is following the science and advice of public health experts, consulting with partners and considering taking similar steps we can take to protect the American people,” the officials said.