Europe would have been ready to supply free vaccines against Covid-19 to help the China to contain the spread of the epidemic in the country, after the end of the restrictions. But Beijing refuses and minimizes the severity of the wave: “internal production is sufficient. The Covid situation in China is under control”. This was stated by the spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning. The news had been anticipated by the Financial Times which, quoting anonymous sources among the officials of the European Commission, had spoken of a proposal made recently by the EU Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides, directly to the Chinese counterpart, and the offer would concern the mRna vaccines produced by Pfizer-Biontech and Moderna that China has never wanted to authorize.
“China has established the world's largest production lines of Covid vaccines with an annual production capacity of more than 7 billion doses and an annual output of more than 5,5 billion doses, which meet the need to ensure that all people eligible for vaccination have access to Covid vaccines. The situation is predictable and under control,” Mao assured.
Free vaccines to China: Europe fears the spread of other variants
Brussels' attempt is clear. We are trying to stem the risk of spreading variants uncontrolled. Precisely for this reason Italy, France and Spain have imposed i mandatory swabs to those arriving from China. A decision taken in full autonomy with respect to the indications of the European authorities who instead would like greater coordination between the member countries. This is why an extraordinary meeting has been called tomorrow, Wednesday 4 January, during which the European countries will discuss a joint response.
Furthermore, according to the British newspaper, donating vaccines to Beijing would also be a way to use the advanced vaccine doses in Europe, the result of massive orders and long-term contracts with pharmaceutical lawsuits.
Beijing on incoming swabs: "unacceptable"
In the meantime, however, the Asian giant has firmly condemned the restrizioni adopted by a dozen countries to travelers from China, warning that it could now take "countermeasures".
Beijing says it is ready "to work with the international community in solidarity, to face the Covid challenge more effectively and to better protect people's lives and health", but "at the same time we also think that some countries have put in place restrictions inputs that only affect i Chinese travellers. This is without scientific basis and some practices are unacceptable. We strongly oppose all attempts to manipulate epidemic prevention measures with the intention of achieving political goals. We will take countermeasures, according to the principle of reciprocity".
The reassurances from the European body
“The surge of Covid cases in China is not expected to affect the epidemiological situation of the Covid-19 in the European Union and the European Economic Area,” reported theEuropean Center for Diseases Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported in a statement: According to the European body, “the variants circulating in China are already circulating in the EU and, as such, do not pose a danger to the immune response of EU/EEA citizens. Furthermore, EU/EEA citizens have relatively high levels of immunity and vaccination.”
