Only compulsory vaccination would help

Infectiologist Günthard considers the test requirement for travelers from China to be ineffective

Only compulsory vaccination would help

In China, the number of corona infections has recently risen rapidly. Now the EU has agreed on a stricter entry regime. Switzerland is waiting.

Sven ZauggEditor Sunday view

The violent corona wave in China is fueling concern in Europe about new virus variants. Since this week, the EU states have been “strongly urged” to introduce a test requirement for travelers from China. The same demands SVP faction leader Thomas Aeschi. He calls for an immediate corona test obligation for travelers from China “to protect the Swiss population from possible mutations”. The president of the commissions for social security and health in the National Council wants to submit the corresponding application to the management of Health Minister Alain Berset next week.

However, such a mandatory test is controversial. Infectiologist Huldrych Günthard from the University Hospital Zurich says: “From a virological point of view, such tests make zero sense.” There is currently no evidence that the virus that is currently rampant in China is more dangerous than the virus variants in Europe. The Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) also sees it this way: It cannot be assumed that the current infection process in China will pose an increased risk to our health system.