Tight Covid-19 measures at summit

FALMOUTH: G7 leaders meet this weekend for the first time in nearly two years, after the global coronavirus pandemic forced last year’s event to be cancelled.

But the health crisis is still presenting the United Kingdom with a major challenge, to prevent the virus spreading among participants.

The leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the United States will notably discuss post-pandemic reconstruction at the three-day talks in Carbis Bay, Cornwall.

All leaders have been at least partially vaccinated against Covid-19.

They will be joined by their counterparts from the European Union, and invited guests from Australia, India, South Korea and South Africa.

Most will attend in person, although India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, will take part virtually because of the rapid spread of a new variant of the virus back home.

Normally, G7 summits are attended by thousands of journalists but the number of accreditations this year has been drastically reduced because of social distancing requirements.

And most of those who have managed to secure a pass will be kept at a distance, at a media centre here, some 36km by road from Carbis Bay.

Summit participants, including country delegation members and journalists, have to undergo regular screening using rapid tests two days before the start of the event.

They then have to be tested twice the following week.

Proof of negative results is required for access to the media centre and other areas.

Anyone who tests positive for coronavirus will have to self-isolate and a dedicated tracking system has been put in place.

UK coronavirus restrictions also apply.