Health Minister Ernst Kuipers has called on the Senate to return from their break to reassess COVID-19 laws after China easer their own laws and an outbreak of infections ensued.
Kuipers wants the Senate to sit down and deal with the corona law bill – officially known as the Public Health Act – “as soon as possible.” The Senate will resume on 16 January.
The House of Representatives had approved the Public Health Act in mid-December. According to NOS, Kuipers sees this act as essential to implement strict travel restrictions on those travelling to the Netherlands from China.
Some Dutch policymakers have criticised Kuipers’ words. “Minister Kuipers wants the Senate to decide more quickly on his ‘pandemic law’ because of the corona outbreak in China. Once again, misplaced panic is being used to push through pointless measures. #BVNL voted against the amendment of the #Wpg . Never corona measures in the law,” tweeted Belang van Nederland party leader Wybren van Haga.
Other member states, including France, Italy, and Belgium, have already imposed PCR tests for travellers coming from China, which has been facing a wave of COVID-19 cases since putting an end to its “zero COVID policy.”
On 17 September, the Dutch government lifted all COVID-19 travel restrictions.
(Sofia Stuart Leeson | EURACTIV.com)
Source: euractiv.com
