Explainer | Places with new Covid-19 rules for China travellers
- Canada, Australia, and Morocco are the latest countries imposing or considering curbs on travellers from China
- Governments cite a lack of information from China on variants and are concerned about a wave of infections following relaxation of ‘zero-Covid’ rules
Authorities around the world are imposing or considering curbs on travellers from China as Covid-19 cases in the country surge following its relaxation of “zero-Covid” rules.
They cite a lack of information from China on variants and are concerned about a wave of infections. China has rejected criticism of its Covid data and said it expects future mutations to be potentially more transmissible but less severe.
Below is a list of regulations for travellers from China.
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US to require negative Covid test for China arrivals from January 5
United States
The United States will impose mandatory Covid-19 tests on travellers from China beginning on January 5. All air passengers aged two and older will require a negative result from a test no more than two days before departure from China, Hong Kong or Macau. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention also said US citizens should also reconsider travel to China, Hong Kong and Macau.
Britain
The UK will require a pre-departure negative Covid-19 test from passengers from China as of January 5, the Department of Health said on Friday.
France
France will require travellers from China to provide a negative Covid test result less than 48 hours before departure, the health and transport ministries said on Friday.
From January 1, France will also carry out random PCR Covid tests upon arrival on some travellers coming from China, a government official told reporters.
Australia
Travellers from China to Australia will need to submit a negative Covid-19 test from January 5, Australian Health Minister Mark Butler said on Sunday, joining other nations that have implemented similar restrictions as cases surge in China.