Many countries including the United States, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Italy have announced mandatory COVID-19 testing for all incoming passengers from China saying that the Chinese government has not been forthcoming about any new variants which may have emerged in China. The European Union is also considering similar measures. Wang Pi-Sheng, the head of Taiwan’s epidemic command center said, “Right now the pandemic situation in China is not transparent.” Chinese health officials maintain that the omicron variant is responsible for the current outbreak in China after the government eased its “Zero COVID” policy following an outbreak of nationwide protests.
