Despite struggling with a nationwide surge of COVID-19 cases, China has uplifted quarantine provisions for inbound travellers.
On Sunday, the first section of passengers to arrive under the new rules landed at airports in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, CGTN news agency reported.
There were 387 flyers on the flight from Singapore and Toronto. However, no one was subject to COVID-19 tests or five-day quarantine after arrival.
The abrupt abandonment of China’s ‘zero-Covid’ policy followed the upliftment of the quarantine rules. After record-breaking protests in China over the strict measures, Beijing abolished the hardline strategy of compulsory quarantine, lockdown and regular testing.
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However, the blunt switch has exposed the virus to a large population of the country for the first time, giving birth to a new wave of infections caused due to the virus. The rapidly spreading virus has caused a shortage of medicines, overcrowded hospitals and a long line at crematoriums.
China shut international borders nearly three years ago when the pandemic hit the country. However, the desertion of Covid restrictions might be a time-out for many Chinese nationals.
But as China uplifts its COVID-19 policies, many nations have imposed a ban on travel from China. They have stated concerns over the rapid increase in cases and the potential emergence of a new coronavirus variant.
(With inputs from agencies)
