Wastewater from aircraft coming from China is being tested for worrying corona variants | News

Wastewater from large cities has been studied for some time in order to detect the corona virus and any disturbing variants thereof. Vandenbroucke now wants to extend that idea to the waste water from the planes traveling from China to Brussels Airport.

According to the minister, consultations are already underway with Brussels Airlines to see whether it is technically possible. It would be two flights a week. The idea comes from the United States. Testing the wastewater from international aircraft is a better way to detect the virus than having people take a PCR test upon arrival, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With serious doubts over China’s transparency on coronavirus data, these tests could provide a clearer picture of how the virus mutates.

Vandenbroucke wants to use testing sparingly, given the cost price. That is why only people are tested who show corona symptoms in a period of seven days after a stay in China. These tests can be administered by pharmacists and healthcare providers.

It is important that the tests used can also detect variants. There is a fear that the massive spread of the corona virus in China will lead to new, dangerous variants that will be brought to Belgium by plane.

Minister Vandenbroucke wants to plead with his European colleagues for a mandatory negative test when boarding an aircraft. He does point out, however, that it is only useful if this applies to all flights to the European Union. A large number of people come from China to Belgium via an airport in another country and then come to our country by bus or train.

On Wednesday, the member states of the European Union will meet to consider a common response to travelers from China. The federal health minister takes the measures after meeting on Monday with the Risk Management Group, the group of health experts that advises on protective measures.