Coronavirus: US will require travellers from China to test negative for Covid-19 before entering

American health officials are imposing the restriction, effective January 5, after China’s National Health Commission stopped releasing data on caseloads

‘We have just limited information in terms of what’s being shared related to the … cases that are increasing, hospitalisation and especially deaths,’ a US official says

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Travellers at a departure lobby at Beijing Capital International Airport on Tuesday. US health officials said that starting on January 5, passengers arriving from China will be required to test negative for Covid-19 tests before being permitted to enter, according to reports. Photo: Kyodo

Jacob Fromerin WashingtonandRobert Delaneyin Washington

Published: 1:26am, 29 Dec 2022Updated: 1:22am, 30 Dec 2022

The US will require travellers arriving from China to test negative for Covid-19 before entering the country, amid concerns over China’s surging cases and a lack of reliable official data on the spread of the coronavirus, federal health officials said on Wednesday.

“The United States is taking preventative, proactive steps to protect Americans’ public health,” one of the officials said.

“We have just limited information in terms of what’s being shared related to the … cases that are increasing, hospitalisation and especially deaths.”

The officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said that the policy would take effect at 12:01am US Eastern Time on January 5, and would apply to all travellers arriving from China – including Hong Kong and Macau – older than 2, regardless of nationality or vaccination status.

Travellers will have to submit a negative test, or proof of full recovery of a recent Covid infection, within two days of their departure.

A medical worker administering a Covid-19 vaccine to a senior resident of Wenchang, Hainan province, on December 22. Photo: Xinhua

The US will also ask passengers flying to the US from Seoul, Toronto and Vancouver if they have been in China during the previous 10 days. If so, they will also have to submit a negative test within two days of their departure to the US.