China said it expects future mutations to be potentially more virulent but less severe.
Beijing:
Several places around the world have placed restrictions on travelers from China amid a surge in COVID-19 after Beijing relaxed strict “COVID zero” measures. They cite a lack of information from China on variants and are concerned about a wave of infections. China pushed back against criticism of its statistics, saying it expects future mutations to be potentially more virulent but less severe.
Below is a list of rules for travelers from China:
USA
The US will impose mandatory COVID-19 tests on travelers from China starting January 5. All air passengers 2 years of age or older will require a negative test result no more than two days prior to departure from China, Hong Kong, or Macao. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said Americans should also reconsider travel to China, Hong Kong and Macau.
India
India has ordered a negative COVID-19 test report for travelers arriving from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand, the health minister said. Passengers from those countries will be quarantined if they showed symptoms of COVID-19 or tested positive.
Japan
Japan will require a negative COVID-19 test on arrival for travelers from mainland China. Those who test positive will be required to quarantine for seven days. The new border measures for China will take effect at midnight on December 30. The government will also limit requests by airlines to increase flights to China. The Hong Kong government has asked Japan to remove a restriction that requires passenger flights from the financial hub to land at four designated Japanese airports, saying the decision will affect some 60,000 passengers.
Italy
The country ordered COVID-19 antigen swabs and virus sequencing for all travelers coming from China. Milan’s main airport, Malpensa, had already begun screening passengers arriving from Beijing and Shanghai. “The measure is fundamental to guarantee the surveillance and detection of possible variants of the virus in order to protect the Italian population,” Minister Orazio Schillaci said, announcing the mandatory tests for passengers.
taiwan
Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center said all passengers arriving on direct flights from China, as well as by boat to two offshore islands, will be required to undergo PCR tests upon arrival. Taiwan will test arrivals from China for COVID-19 from January 1.
Countries considering travel restrictions
United Kingdom
The UK will consider imposing COVID-19 restrictions on arrivals from China, including a requirement for tests for the coronavirus, the Telegraph reported. Officials from the Department for Transport, the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care are expected to decide on Thursday whether the UK should follow the United States and Italy in imposing Covid restrictions for travelers from China, according to the report.
Country monitoring status
Australia
Australia said it was not making any changes to its rules on allowing travelers from China to enter. “There are no changes to travel advice at this time, but we continue to monitor the situation, as we continue to monitor the impact of Covid here in Australia and around the world,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
Philippines
The Southeast Asian country is being “very cautious” and could impose measures such as testing requirements on visitors from China, but not an outright ban, Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said on Wednesday.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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