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On Tuesday, China halved the length of its quarantine for incoming foreign travelers, reducing it to a 14-day week, in the biggest update to its Covid-19 lockdown policy to date, indicating a slow reopening of its borders.
Under the updated policy, foreign travelers will be required to quarantine for seven days in a government-designated facility, a hotel, followed by another three days of home isolation.
The country reported one case of transmitted covid and 21 asymptomatic cases on Monday.
Tuesday’s announcement marks a massive shift in China’s existing strict policies for foreign travelers, but the restrictions, a total of 10 days of movement restrictions, remain difficult, especially compared to countries that have completely gotten rid of quarantine and testing requirements.
China closed its borders at the end of March 2020 and has since allowed only a handful of foreign flights to the country, adding special and charter flights.
Doubts remain about the new policy: on the one hand, it will possibly be months before foreign passenger air traffic normalizes, many airlines are in talks with China’s civil aviation authority to resume flights.
In addition, it remains to be noted that the new adjustments are reduced due to a new outbreak, especially if you end up connected to an incoming foreign flight.
The official announcement, shared through the official Xinhua news agency, said that, according to the updated Covid-19 control protocol, “close contacts and incoming [travelers] will be under medical isolation at designated sites for seven days plus 3 days in -monitoring of physical condition at home. “
“This is an apparent relief in duration compared to the 14 days of medical isolation at designated sites plus seven days of home fitness tracking stipulated in the previous edition of the protocol,” the Xinhua report added.
He added that other people “who are considered to have had close contact with close Covid-19 contact” will face seven days of medical quarantine at home, rather than seven days of medical isolation at designated sites.
“Under the new protocol, China will increase the frequency of nucleic acid testing for other people in direct contact with [travelers], goods and incoming environments to once a day,” he added.
Wang Liping, a researcher at the communication and prevention department of China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told state media that shortening the quarantine era does not mean “relaxing” in prevention and measures, but optimizing prevention and measures according to the characteristics of the country. Omicron variant.
The new regulations have been welcomed by American, British and European lobbying teams in China, Reuters reported.
“We hope this will help develop the industry and stop the exodus of foreign talent, some of whom spend three years apart from their family and friends abroad,” the British Chamber of Commerce in China told Reuters.
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