Coronavirus: Germany questions need for extra test for China flights

Ambassador says antibody blood screening for incoming passengers should only be done when really necessary

Isolation of infected children from their parents is also ‘out of proportion’, he says

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Airport security staff check the temperature of passengers at Beijing Capital International Airport. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 12:30pm, 30 Nov 2020Updated: 2:08pm, 30 Nov 2020

As China doubles down on efforts to keep back the rising international tide of coronavirus cases, some of its screening and quarantine measures are being criticised as unnecessary and too strict.

In addition to presenting a negative nucleic acid test result, inbound passengers have to return a negative result for IgM antibodies within 48 hours of boarding a flight to China.

Clemens von Goetze, Germany’s ambassador to China, said this extra requirement in place since October 31 could hamper travel between the two countries.

“We understand the need for necessary measures, but we believe any new requirements that make travel – and hence business – between our countries even more difficult should only be introduced when epidemiologically really necessary,” he said.

“China is now requiring antibody blood tests, but according to the World Health Organization, these antibody blood tests are a poor predictor of active infections.”

Von Goetze said some quarantine measures were also too stringent.