China said it expected future mutations to be potentially more virulent but less severe.
Beijing:
Many places around the world have banned travelers from China after Beijing eased strict “zero-covid” measures. They cite a lack of information from China on the variant and are concerned about a wave of infections. China has rejected criticism of its figures and said it expected future mutations to be potentially more virulent but less severe.
Below is a list of rules for travelers from China:
United States of america
The US will implement mandatory COVID-19 testing on travelers from China starting January 5. All air travelers 2 and older will need to have a negative result from a test two days prior to departure from China, Hong Kong or Macau. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said that Americans should reconsider travel to China, Hong Kong and Macau.
India
The Health Minister said that India has mandated a COVID-19 negative test report for passengers arriving from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. Travelers from those countries will be placed in quarantine if they show symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive.
Japan
Japan will require a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival for travelers from mainland China. Those found positive will have to be quarantined for seven days. The new border measures for China will come into effect from midnight on 30 December. The government will also limit requests from airlines to increase flights to China. Hong Kong’s government has asked Japan to roll back a ban that requires passenger flights from the financial hub to land at four designated Japanese airports, saying the decision would affect about 60,000 passengers.
Italy
The country has ordered COVID-19 antigen swabs and virus sequencing for all travelers arriving from China. Malpensa, Milan’s main airport, had already started testing passengers arriving from Beijing and Shanghai. Announcing mandatory testing for travelers, Minister Orazio Schillaci said “the measure to monitor and detect possible variants of the virus is necessary to protect the Italian population”.
Taiwan
Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center said all passengers arriving by direct flights from China as well as by boat to the two offshore islands would be required to undergo a PCR test upon arrival. Taiwan will test arrivals from China for COVID-19 starting January 1.
Countries to Consider on Travel Curves
United Kingdom
The Telegraph reported that the UK would consider introducing COVID-19 restrictions for arrivals from China, including requiring testing for the coronavirus. Officials from the Department for Transport, the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care are expected to decide on Thursday whether Britain should follow the United States and Italy in imposing Covid restrictions on travelers from China, the report said. No.
Monitoring status of countries
Australia
Australia said it was not making any changes to its rules on allowing travelers from China. Australia as well as around the world,” said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Philippines
Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said on Wednesday that the Southeast Asian country is being “very cautious” and may impose measures such as testing requirements on visitors from China, but not an outright ban.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
featured video of the day
In shocking video, domestic help thrashed in Noida society