China is grappling with an explosive outbreak of COVID-19 as health officials relax their draconian “zero-COVID” containment policy, prompting several countries around the world to require tests for Chinese travelers.
The United States cited rising infections as well as China’s government’s “lack of adequate and transparent epidemiological and viral genomic sequence data” when announcing a testing requirement last week.
Passengers prepare to board a flight at an airport in north-central China’s Jiangxi province.
(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Italy also ordered tests for Chinese travelers last week after more than half of all passengers on flights arriving at Milan’s Malpensa airport tested positive for COVID-19.
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The European Union will hold an Integrated Policy Crisis Response meeting on Wednesday to decide whether entry restrictions are required across the 27-nation bloc.
Travelers walk in a terminal at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, China, on March 23, 2022.
(Reuters/Tingshu Wang)
Australia announced Monday that travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macao will be required to be tested for COVID-19 before departure.
“This decision was made to protect Australia from the risk of potential new emerging variants and in recognition of the rapidly evolving situation in China and the uncertainty around emerging viral variants,” the Australian Department of Health explained.
Residents line up in front of a pharmacy to buy antigen test kits for the coronavirus, in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China, on December 15, 2022.
(China Daily via REUTERS/File Photo)
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Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India and other countries have implemented similar restrictions on arrivals from China.
China’s zero-COVID strategy kept millions of people in lockdown for weeks, but the government began abruptly relaxing that policy last month following mass protests.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
