U.S. to require negative COVID-19 test for travellers from China — but Canada not changing policy yet | 24CA News
The U.S. introduced new COVID-19 testing necessities Wednesday for all travellers from China, becoming a member of different nations which have imposed restrictions due to a surge of infections.
Beginning Jan. 5, all travellers to the U.S. from China will likely be required to take a COVID-19 take a look at not more than two days earlier than journey and supply a adverse take a look at earlier than boarding their flight. The testing applies to anybody two years and older.
Canada has not imposed any new testing necessities for folks coming from China.
Ellen Kennedy, a spokesperson for Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, stated Canada is monitoring COVID-19 case numbers and following the recommendation of public well being officers.
“As of now, travellers are not required to provide a COVID-19 test upon arrival in Canada, however we continue to monitor the situation and keep Canadians safe,” Kennedy stated in an e mail to 24CA News.
Japan, India amongst these requiring testing
In an abrupt change of coverage, China this month started dismantling the world’s strictest COVID-19 regime of lockdowns and in depth testing, placing its battered financial system on target for a whole reopening subsequent 12 months.
The lifting of restrictions, following widespread protests in opposition to them, means COVID-19 is spreading largely unchecked and may very well be infecting thousands and thousands of individuals a day, in line with some worldwide well being consultants.
Beijing has confronted worldwide criticism that its official COVID-19 knowledge and its tally of deaths are inconsistent with the dimensions of its outbreak. International modelling teams have predicted China might expertise two million deaths or extra.
Other nations have taken related steps in an effort to maintain infections from spreading past China’s borders. Japan would require a adverse COVID-19 take a look at upon arrival for travellers from China, and Malaysia introduced new monitoring and surveillance measures. India, South Korea and Taiwan are requiring virus exams for guests from China.
Lunar New Year, which begins Jan. 22, is often China’s busiest journey season, and China introduced Tuesday it’s going to resume issuing passports for tourism for the primary time because the begin of the pandemic in 2020.
The U.S. motion is a return to necessities for some worldwide travellers. The Biden administration lifted the final of such mandates in June. At that point, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continued to suggest that individuals boarding flights to the U.S. get examined near departure time and never journey if they’re sick.
Early within the pandemic, the U.S. barred entry to foreigners travelling from China, weeks after the virus first emerged there three years in the past. Americans have been allowed to return residence and flights from China have been funneled to chose airports the place passengers have been screened for sickness.
But the virus already was spreading within the U.S. amongst folks with no journey historical past.
