- Özgür Töre
The United States will require some travelers to show negative COVID-19 test results as part of new coronavirus precautions as of January 5, 2023.
The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macau must present negative Covid-19 tests before entering the United States, a move that it says is intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
US officials raised concerns earlier about the transparency of data coming from China about new coronavirus cases.
Travelers flying from China to the US will need a negative test no more than 48 hours before their flight.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said the requirement for testing will apply to air passengers regardless of their nationality and vaccination status. It will also apply to travelers from China who enter the United States through a third country, and to those who connect through the United States to other destinations.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman said, “We look forward to welcoming Chinese travelers back to the United States. The Biden administration’s highly targeted COVID testing approach is reasonable and appreciated.”
China announced a further easing of coronavirus management as of Jan. 8, with the National Health Commission (NHC) saying Beijing will also not impose a quarantine on those entering the country.
The NHC stopped releasing statistics for asymptomatic cases earlier this month.
The world’s most populous nation also dumped its strict “zero-COVID” policy this month, following unrest and unprecedented protests in parts of the country.
