E-Paper
Covid rules simplified for Indians coming to China as country logs record cases
Applicable from Monday, Indian passengers “…travelling to China only need to take one nucleic acid (RT-PCR) test within 48 hours before boarding the flight to China, and apply for Green Health Code with a negative certificate
BEIJING: Pre-departure Covid-19 protocols for Indians planning to come to China have been simplified, the Chinese embassy in New Delhi announced late on Sunday, days after Beijing shortened quarantine requirements from 10 to eight days for inbound passengers.
The easing of rules was announced by Chinese embassies in several countries on Sunday as Beijing lifts some of its Covid-19 control measures on international travel while vowing to fight the outbreak in the country according to its controversial “zero-Covid” strategy through snap lockdowns and mass tests.
Applicable from Monday, Indian passengers “…travelling to China only need to take one nucleic acid (RT-PCR) test within 48 hours before boarding the flight to China, and apply for Green Health Code with a negative certificate,” the Chinese embassy announced.
“Passengers travelling to China can choose any place in India or in transit according to their itinerary, within 48 hours before boarding the flight to China, and apply for Green Health Code from the Embassy or Consulate where the test will be conducted,” it said, adding: “The airline will check passengers with a valid Green Health Code and will not check the place of issue”.
This means that for passengers flying from India to China but transiting through a third country there is no need to get a Covid-19 test done in the third or the transiting country: As long as the journey from India to China takes less than 48 hours, the negative Covid-19 test result from India will be valid.
This change in protocol is important because there is no direct flight between India and China at present.
Passengers will be required to show “Certificates of vaccination of Chinese-made vaccines or vaccines approved for use by WHO (World Health Organisation), if having been already vaccinated,” the statement added.
Importantly, there are no extra requirements for passengers who were Covid-19 positive earlier.
“No extra requirements for passengers with a history of Covid-19 infection, close contact, suspected symptoms, and PCR test results showing Presumptive Positive and Equivocal results,” the Chinese embassy statement said.
“All passengers can apply for Green Health Code with one Negative nucleic acid (RT-PCR) test result within 48 hours before departure,” it added.
The statement reminded prospective passengers that “Nucleic acid test reports submitted to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate General in India should be issued by labs authorised by ICMR, which should be machine-printed, not hand-written, and with a QR code”.
Similar procedures have been simplified in several other countries including Singapore, Serbia, the US, Australia, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Myanmar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Cambodia and so on.
China last week reduced the number of quarantine days for inbound travellers from 10 to eight days and scrapped a penalty for international airlines bringing in virus cases into the country as it eases some of its controversial Covid-19 control rules.
The new measures were announced on Friday, a day after President Xi Jinping chaired a meeting of the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) top decision-making body, the politburo standing committee (SC) during which the leaders vowed to “tenaciously” pursue “the dynamic zero-Covid policy” while minimising economic and social disruptions.
Record number of cases
The changes in international travel protocol comes in effect as Beijing and several other major cities in China reported record Covid-19 infections on Monday for Sunday, putting authorities under more pressure to quell outbreaks quickly while also trying to reduce the impact on people’s lives and on economic activity.
Overall,16,072 new locally transmitted cases were reported by the national health commission (NHC), up from 14,761 on Sunday and the highest in China since April 25, when the caseload was high as Shanghai was fighting its worst Covid-19 outbreak.
Capital Beijing reported 407 cases on Monday, compared with 235 the previous day; the southern city of Guangzhou, capital of economic powerhouse, Guangdong, logged 4,065 new cases, compared with 3,653 a day before.
“Beijing health authorities stated on Monday to further strengthen epidemic prevention and control measures and reminded residents not to go out unless necessary,” the state-run Global Times said in a report.
“Residents are reminded not to go out unless necessary, including not going to crowded places, and not going out for meals and to parties. People need to wear a mask properly, keep a safe distance and maintain good personal hygiene if going out,” the report added.
