BEIJING: China has reduced quarantine requirement for inbound travelers and cancelled what is known as a circuit breaker scheme for flights in a bid to “optimize” its COVID-19 prevention measures, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said in an announcement on Friday.
The easing for inbound travelers, as well as a number of COVID-19 policy adjustment in the country, doesn’t mean China will give up its efforts to protect its people. Instead, it is a gesture to streamline the measures to better control the outbreaks while ensuring normal economic and social activities as much as possible. The change is in line with the policy highlights stated at the Communist Party of China’s 20th National Congress, the health regulator said in the document. In addition, the pre-departure COVID-19 tests requirement for inbound travelers will be reduced from twice in 48 hours to once.
Inbound travelers with a cycle threshold value (CT value) of nucleic test below 35 should be deemed “positive,” and a risk assessment should be carried out on individuals whose CT value is between 35 and 40 after centralized isolation is lifted, according to the announcement.
Quarantine for inbound travelers will be cut to five days of centralized quarantine and three days of home quarantine, from seven days of centralized quarantine and three days of in-home health monitoring previously, according to the announcement.
–The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
