As cases of Covid-19 rapidly grow in China as a result of Beijing easing pandemic restrictions, the United States has announced that it will require all travelers from China to show a negative coronavirus test result before flying to the country.

The test in question has to be undertaken no more than two days before flying, the federal health officials have said. The negative proof has to be presented to the airline before boarding.

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As to the kind of test that needs to be conducted, it can be either a PCR test or an antigen self-test, which is normally administered through a telehealth service.

Passengers flying directly to the United States from China as well as passengers flying through popular third-country stoppages, including Seoul, Toronto, and Vancouver will have to fulfill this requirement to travel.

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Passengers testing positive more than 10 days before their flight can provide documentation of their recovery in case they do not carry a negative test result with them. 

The change in rules will be implemented on January 5.

“We know these measures will not eliminate all risk or completely prevent people who are infected from entering the United States,” a federal health official said told CNN. Still, “taken together they will help limit the number of infected people and provide us an early warning about new variants.”

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The announcement comes after Japan and India declared Covid-19 measures for travelers from China amid concerns over an increase in cases.

China began loosening its strict Covid-19 measures after the country’s longstanding zero-Covid policy broke down amid widespread protests earlier this month. On Monday, China announced it will end quarantine requirements for international arrivals from January 8.