China opens its borders for the first time on Sunday after nearly three years of isolation and takes a step closer to ending its ‘Covid Zero’ policy designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Starting this Sunday, China will no longer require a quarantine period for people arriving in the country but will continue to require a negative Covid-19 test within the last 48 hours.
At this time, a wave of Chinese residents are expected to return to the country on their way home. Thus, the first preparations for the reopening of the Asian country’s borders have been made.
As reported by the Chinese newspaper ‘Global Times’, the authorities have intensified their efforts at the borders of the city of Shenzhen in anticipation of the reopening with the neighboring region of Hong Kong, including conducting drills, examining equipment and decorating the posts that will welcome the expected influx of passengers.
COVID-19 TESTING OF PASSENGERS FROM CHINA On the other hand, the explosion of Covid-19 cases in China, resulting from the lifting of most of the restrictions imposed throughout the pandemic, has generated global concern, leading countries around the world to impose new controls on travelers from the Asian giant.
As China has begun to relax its restrictions, more countries have in recent weeks joined the call for negative testing of travelers from China.
In this sense, Spain will be able to deny from this week until next February 15 the entry of third country nationals arriving on direct flights from any airport located in China if they do not provide a digital EU Covid Certificate or equivalent or negative diagnostic tests, based on public health reasons, according to a resolution on restrictions at external air borders of the Ministry of Interior published on Wednesday in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
Similarly, at a meeting urgently convened by the Health Security Committee (HSC) of the European Union at the end of December, EU Member States agreed to maintain «active surveillance» in the face of the apparent explosion of coronavirus infections in China, and from which emerged the commitment to remain in contact to examine possible joint initiatives.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
