The disclosure by China that recent covid-19 deaths are 60,000 and not 37 is a reminder of the way China withheld critical information in 2019 and 2020, leading to the pandemic [“China revises official covid outbreak death toll to 60,000, up from 37,” news, Jan. 15].
Stringent measures must be put in place now by the Departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security, followed by an act of Congress. People wishing to enter the United States from China or having been in China two to three weeks prior, regardless of passport nationality and regardless of the visit’s purpose (pleasure or business), must present a negative PCR test taken no later than three days before flight departure. In addition, we need our own testing controls at our borders. Thus, upon arrival and before immigration, all such people must take a test. A positive test will result in non-admittance to the United States. A fee should be included in tickets from China to pay for the increased vigilance.
