COVID-19 Testing Requirement

The US will require inbound travelers from China to submit a negative COVID-19 test before entering the country, officials said yesterday, a move made in response to the virus's rapid spread in China in recent weeks. The news follows reports of Chinese travelers testing positive upon arrival in other countries, including Italy, where more than half of Chinese travelers on some flights returned positive tests.

After nearly three years of pursuing a strict "zero COVID" approach, China loosened restrictions following waves of public protests. Anecdotal reports suggest the move has spurred a surge in infections—though the government stopped posting data on cases and deaths as it dropped restrictions. Leaked internal assessments estimate up to 250 million people, almost 20% of the Chinese population, were infected in the month of December.

China dropped quarantine requirements for travelers entering the country this week, causing a spike in international travel bookings. The US will begin requiring tests Jan. 5.