COVID: China to scrap quarantine for inbound travellers

China says it will scrap quarantine measures for inbound travellers from January 8.

According to Reuters, the China National Health Commission (NHC) said this in a statement on Monday.

Since March 2020, all passengers arriving in the country had to undergo a mandatory quarantine.

The health commission said although inbound travellers will no longer need to quarantine, they will, however, still be required to undergo PCR testing 48 hours before departure flights destined for China.

It also said the country’s management of COVID will be downgraded to category B from the current top-level category A.

The commission said arrangements for foreigners to come to China for work and business will be improved and the necessary visas will also be facilitated.

It said passenger entry and exit at sea and land ports will slowly resume, while the outbound travel of Chinese nationals will be restored “in an orderly manner”.

This decision comes as cities across China are struggling with increasing virus cases leading to an overflowing of hospitals and pharmacies.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the NHC said it will no longer publish daily figures for COVID cases and deaths.

It, however, gave no explanation for the decision.

“From today, we will no longer publish daily information on the epidemic,” the commission said.

“The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] will publish information about the outbreak for reference and research purposes.”