BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s National Health Commission said on Monday it will lift the quarantine requirement for travelers arriving in the country from January 8, as a step to ease restrictions at its borders, which have been largely closed since 2020.
The health authority said the Covid-19 management in China will be downgraded from Category A to less strict Category B as the disease has become less virulent and is slowly turning into a common respiratory infection.
Three years of zero-tolerance measures, from closed borders to frequent lockdowns, have hit the economy and fueled the biggest public discontent since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012 last month.
But China made a sudden change in its health policy this month, lifting almost all restrictions against Covid-19;
Strict requirements for travelers on arrival currently include a mandatory five-day quarantine at a government-controlled facility and an additional three days of isolation at home.
This restriction and the restriction on the number of passengers on international flights will be lifted as of 8 January. Passengers entering China will still need to pass PCR tests approximately 48 hours before departure.
The official said that regulations for foreigners to travel to China for business and business purposes will be improved and necessary visas will also be facilitated.
Since January 2020, China has classified Covid-19 as a category B infectious disease, but has managed it under category A protocols that cover diseases such as bubonic plague and cholera, giving authorities the power to quarantine and lock down patients and their close contacts. regions.
(by Ryan Woo, Ethan Wang, Eduardo Baptista and Brenda Goh)
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.