The Fiji TimesCountries mandate COVID exams for China vacationers, EU to debate

(Reuters) – Authorities all over the world are imposing or contemplating curbs on vacationers from China as COVID-19 instances there surge following its rest of “zero-COVID” guidelines. China has rejected criticism of its COVID knowledge.

PLACES IMPOSING CURBS

UNITED STATES

The USA will impose necessary COVID-19 exams on vacationers from China starting on Jan. 5. All air passengers aged two and older would require a unfavorable consequence from a check not more than two days earlier than departure from China, Hong Kong or Macau. The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention mentioned U.S. residents ought to rethink journey to China, Hong Kong and Macau.

BRITAIN

The UK would require a pre-departure unfavorable COVID-19 exams for passengers from China as of Jan. 5, the Division of Well being mentioned on Friday.

FRANCE

France would require vacationers from China to supply a unfavorable COVID check consequence lower than 48 hours earlier than departure.

Beginning Jan. 1, France will perform random PCR COVID exams upon arrival on vacationers coming from China, a authorities official informed reporters.

France has urged all 26 different European Union member states to check Chinese language vacationers for COVID.

AUSTRALIA

Vacationers from China to Australia might want to submit a unfavorable COVID-19 check from Jan. 5, Australian Well being Minister Mark Butler mentioned on Sunday.

INDIA

The nation has mandated a COVID-19 unfavorable check report for vacationers arriving from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Passengers from these international locations shall be quarantined in the event that they present signs or check constructive.

CANADA

Air vacationers to Canada from China should check unfavorable for COVID-19 not more than two days earlier than departure, Ottawa mentioned.

JAPAN

Japan would require a unfavorable COVID-19 check upon arrival for vacationers from mainland China. Those that check constructive shall be required to quarantine for seven days. New border measures for China went into impact at midnight on Dec. 30. The federal government may even restrict requests from airways to extend flights to China.

ITALY

Italy has ordered COVID-19 antigen swabs and virus sequencing for all vacationers from China. Milan’s most important airport, Malpensa, has already began testing passengers arriving from Beijing and Shanghai.

SPAIN

Spain would require a unfavorable COVID-19 check or a full course of vaccination towards the illness upon arrival for vacationers from China.

MALAYSIA

Malaysia will display all inbound vacationers for fever and check wastewater from plane arriving from China for COVID-19.

TAIWAN

Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Centre mentioned all passengers on direct flights from China, in addition to by boat at two offshore islands, must take PCR exams upon arrival, beginning on Jan. 1.

SOUTH KOREA

South Korea would require vacationers from China to supply unfavorable COVID check outcomes earlier than departure, South Korea’s News1 information company reported.

MOROCCO

Morocco will impose a ban on individuals arriving from China, no matter their nationality, from Jan. 3.

QATAR

Qatar would require vacationers arriving from China from Jan. 3 to supply a unfavorable COVID-19 check consequence taken inside 48 hours of departure, state information company QNA mentioned.

PLACES MONITORING SITUATION

EUROPEAN UNION

European Union authorities well being officers will maintain talks on Wednesday on a coordinated response to the surge in COVID-19 infections in China, the Swedish EU presidency mentioned on Monday, after December talks concluded with no choices on the matter.

PHILIPPINES

The Philippines sees a necessity to accentuate monitoring and implementation of border management for incoming people particularly from China, Manila’s well being ministry mentioned.

(Compiled by Bernard Orr; Enhancing by Barbara Lewis, Josie Kao and Howard Goller)