European Union government experts have agreed that blocking cross-border movement of people in the bloc with suspected COVID-19 symptoms is "counterproductive."
European states that are members of the open-border Schengen area met on Thursday to discuss the issue.
According to Reuters, an official who briefed on the results of the meeting said border closures are not "an appropriate preventive or remedial measure as the virus would spread further."
Adding their position would be reviewed weekly, the official stressed that quarantine measures for those with symptoms are a preferable option and "much more effective."
The EU specialists were also said to have advised "systematic" checks for those arriving, allowing states to impose additional checks for health assessments if they wished.■
<Photo: Yonhap News>
