After nearly three years of intense border restrictions due to the pandemic, China will end quarantine measures for foreign visitors from January 8, health authorities said Monday. In an online post, the National Health Commission stated that travelers would only need to take a PCR test 48 hours before their trip to enter China.
This is amid a surge in reported cases in China. With the wave of Covid sweeping across the country, China is under tremendous stress as healthcare systems cannot handle the influx of people needing care at hospitals.
Beijing has been gradually easing its zero-covid policy, and this statement came after it unexpectedly ended testing and forced lockdowns earlier this month.
“In accordance with the national health quarantine law, infectious disease quarantine measures will no longer be taken against travelers and incoming goods,” the National Health Commission (NHC) said.
“People must take a PCR test within 48 hours of arrival in China,” the notice said, adding that restrictions limiting the number of international flights will also be lifted.
The NHC stated in a separate notice on Monday that the measures would take effect on January 8 when Covid would be downgraded from the top infectious disease category, Class A, to a second Class B tier.
China until recently maintained tight controls and essentially cut itself off from the rest of the world, in contrast to most of the rest of the world where people have learned to live with the epidemic.
(With contributions from agencies)
