Australia to introduce Covid test for Chinese visitors

In response to a “rapidly emerging issue,” Australia has mandated Covid testing for Chinese visitors.

In the “lack of thorough knowledge on the situation in China,” Australian Health Minister Mark Butler stated the country has opted to follow the lead of countries in Asia, North America, and Europe in implementing steps. Speaking with a local media, he stated “There is no urgent public health concern to Australians.”

Pre-departure Covid testing will become mandatory for people travelling from China on January 5, according to the article.

This development comes shortly after Canada became the latest country to make the Covid-19 test mandatory for flyers arriving from mainland China due to an increase in coronavirus infections following the country’s relaxation of its strict “zero-Covid” policy.

According to Canadian-based Television Network, the Canadian government said that this new condition would go into effect on January 5, at which point travellers aged two and older will be required to submit confirmation of a negative test before departing for Canada.

Both France and the United Kingdom said on Friday that effective in the first week of January, travellers travelling from China would be required to submit negative COVID-19 test results.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that from January 5, overseas visitors from China would be required to test negative for COVID-19 before entering the country.

Italy, Spain, and numerous other nations have also implemented precautionary measures in response to an increase in coronavirus infections in China, where tight COVID-19 restrictions were removed at the beginning of December.

Notably, India has made the RT-PCR test mandatory for all travellers arriving from five countries, including China.