US requires all airline passengers from China to test negative for COVID-19

All airline passengers 2 years and older originating from China, Hong Kong, or Macau are now required to get tested for C-19 no more than 2 days before their flight to the US and show a negative result to the airline upon departure.

The new rule has been introduced by the Biden Administration as concern grows over the widespread transmission of the virus in the world’s most populous country.

Happening Now: President Biden delivers remarks on border security and enforcement. https://t.co/KrnITSO0Tw

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 5, 2023

This comes as Beijing battles a major outbreak of the virus after easing its stringent zero-COVID-19 policy.

Some health experts have questioned its effectiveness given the surge in parts of the US in cases fuelled by the omicron subvariant XBB 1.5 which appears to be spreading more quickly than ones related to the dominant variant in china.

The Biden administration says it’s necessary because of china’s lack of transparency about its case numbers and variants.

Happening Now: President Biden delivers remarks on border security and enforcement. https://t.co/KrnITSO0Tw

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 5, 2023