“On Friday, a letter was sent to President Joe Biden by five Republican senators, requesting for travel restrictions to and from China until further information is gathered about the increase in pneumonia cases among children in the country.”

The lawmakers stated that a restriction on traveling was necessary due to China’s consistent track record of deceit regarding public health emergencies and the World Health Organization’s unquestioning obedience to the country’s leaders.

Last month, the WHO asked for details about the outbreak and later had a virtual meeting with Chinese officials. During the meeting, officials reported that the cause of the pneumonia was a common bacteria called mycoplasma, along with seasonal viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, and influenza.

Health experts in the United States also agreed with this evaluation in discussions with POLITICO. They suggested that it was probable for China, which lifted its Covid-19 restrictions in January, to be facing a similar resurgence of seasonal respiratory illnesses as seen in the U.S. and other countries earlier on.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended avoiding travel restrictions.

who control the Senate, are under pressure from President Donald Trump to push through a nominee

The GOP senators, who hold the majority in the Senate, are facing pressure from President Donald Trump to expedite a nominee.Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida, J.D. Vance of Ohio, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Mike Braun

The state of Indiana expressed mistrust towards the World Health Organization and China.

They stated that implementing a travel ban now could potentially prevent our country from experiencing fatalities, lockdowns, mandates, and additional outbreaks in the future.

The authors referenced former President Donald Trump’s choice to cease travel with China in January 2020. They stated, “Historical evidence and logical reasoning demonstrate that his decision was justified.”

The letter was not immediately responded to by the White House.

While no notable Democrats have echoed the request for a travel restriction, there are some who have voiced their worries. Senator from Maryland.Ben Cardin

An individual informed POLITICO about their dissatisfaction with China’s transparency and the information being disclosed. They expressed uncertainty about its reliability.

Last week, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel posted on X, urging China to be more open and timely with information about COVID. He emphasized the importance of transparent and timely information in saving lives.

This story has contributions from Carmen Paun and Alice Miranda Ollstein.