Covid: China Removes Nucleic Acid Test Requirement For Inbound Travellers From April 29

China announced that beginning April 29, international visitors will no longer be required to take the Covid-19 nucleic acid test.

From April 29, China will no longer require Covid-19 nucleic acid tests for inbound travellers. (Representational Image)

Source : Getty

China announced on Tuesday (April 25) that beginning on April 29, international visitors will no longer be required to take the Covid-19 nucleic acid test. Beginning April 29, travellers entering China do not need to provide a Covid-19 nucleic acid test result but must have an antigen test result within 48 hours of boarding a flight, according to Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning at a media briefing in Beijing.

"Beginning April 29, inbound travellers may choose to take antigen tests other than nucleic acid tests within 48 hours prior to boarding," Mao said.

According to her, airlines will no longer check pre-departure testing results.

"We would like to remind inbound and outbound travellers to look after their health in the run-up to their departure and strictly follow the Covid protocols of China and their travel destinations so that they can have a healthy and pleasant trip and a safe journey home," she said.

In light of the evolving epidemic situation, China will continue to refine prevention and control policies in a science-based manner to ensure safe, healthy, and orderly travel between China and other countries, she said.

In January of this year, China reopened its borders after a three-year hiatus, eliminating the need for Covid quarantine and health codes from Chinese diplomatic and consular missions for international visitors. 

China's Drugmaker Fears New Covid Wave: Report

Concerns that China may be facing a new Covid wave fueled a surge in the country's drugmakers' shares Monday, as the public worried about waning immunity. In Shenzhen, Xinxiang Tuoxin Pharmaceutical Co. increased by up to 20%, while Hybio Pharmaceutical Co. increased by 15%. The gains defied the broader market's decline as risk sentiment eased, with the CSI 300 index falling 1.6%, Bloomberg reported. 

Concerns about the risk of new infections circulated on social media, prompting the rally, despite the fact that the previous wave had subsided months ago. While the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the Covid positivity rate had continued to fall, reaching 1.7% on 20 April from a high of 29% in December, it also mentioned a new sub-variant XBB.1.16.

Over the weekend, the word "Covid" was the most searched topic on Weibo, and the topic "second wave of Covid" received more than 95 million views on Monday. Official figures, however, do not yet indicate an increase in infections. According to the CDC's April 22 statement, the daily infection tally and the number of visits to fever clinics have remained stable since the peak in December.