Spain becomes second European country to announce COVID restrictions for travellers from China

COVID regulations for different countries

US: Starting on 5 January, the US will bring in mandatory COVID-19 tests on travellers from China. All plane passengers aged two and above will have to have a negative result no more than two days before leaving from the mainland, Hong Kong or Macau. The US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention said Americans should also reconsider travel to those places.

JAPAN: The country will require a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival for travellers from mainland China. Those who test positive will be required to quarantine for seven days. New border measures for China will come into effect at midnight on 30 December. The government will also limit requests from airlines to increase flights to China.

INDIA: From 1 January, people travelling to India from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand must have a negative COVID before their departure and upload it on an Indian government website.

ITALY: The nation has ordered COVID-19 antigen swabs and virus sequencing for all travellers coming from China. Milan’s main airport, Malpensa, has started testing passengers arriving from Beijing and Shanghai.

TAIWAN: Beginning on 1 January, all passengers on direct flights from China, as well as by boat at two offshore islands, will have to take PCR tests upon arrival.

SOUTH KOREA: The nation will require travellers from China to provide a negative COVID test result before departure.

SPAIN: People travelling from China to Spain will be required to test negative for COVID or prove they have been fully vaccinated against the disease.

MALAYSIA: The country will screen body temperatures of all inbound travellers, including those from China, and those detected with fever or other symptoms will be tested for COVID. It will also sample wastewater from aircraft arriving from China for coronavirus and will conduct tests to detect the entry of any new variants.

COUNTRIES MONITORING THE SITUATION

AUSTRALIA: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia was continuing to monitor the situation in respect of China “as we continue to monitor the impact of COVID here in Australia as well as around the world”.

PHILIPPINES: The country is being “very cautious” and could impose measures such as testing requirements on visitors from China, but not an outright ban, transportation secretary Jaime Bautista said.

UK: Ministers have said the government is keeping the situation “under review”.