China Relaxes Testing Rules For Travellers From Some Countries

Omicron's shorter incubation period allows for easing of curbs on visitors from US, UK

Beijing China has removed some Covid-19 test requirements for people flying in from countries such as the United States and shortened the pre-departure quarantine for some inbound travellers, as it finetunes measures to cope with the Omicron variant.

From today, travellers from the US and Britain will no longer need a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test seven days before flying, according to notices from the Chinese embassies and consulates in the United States and Britain. Requirements for antibody tests have also been scrapped.

Those travellers will still need to do two PCR tests within 48 or 24 hours of their flights - depending on which airport they are flying out of - plus another pre-flight antigen test in some cases, the notices said.

Travellers who have recovered from a previous infection will still need to go through six weeks of isolation before embarking on further procedures, the notices said.

Travel in and out of China has plunged as the country pursues "dynamic zero-Covid-19" policies that include restrictions on issuing and renewing passports, mandatory quarantine for most travellers upon arrival and flight cancellations.