More nations to test Chinese travellers as variant spreads

Bloomberg

Countries from around the world are stepping up measures to shield their populations from the Covid-19 outbreak in China that comes as a more transmissible variant of the virus boosts infections globally.
Portugal has joined the roster of European nations that will require a negative Covid-19 test for passengers from China, while Germany is discouraging all non-essential travel to the country.
Thailand, bracing for a wave of Chinese tourists, will reintroduce entry requirements for foreigners arriving by airplane.
The response comes as China tackles a surge in virus cases triggered by the dismantling of its strict Covid Zero restrictions in recent weeks.
At the same time, the emergence of a highly transmissible variant — already on track to become the dominant strain in the US — is fanning concerns over new mutations.
So far there haven’t been significant differences in severity identified between cases caused by the new XBB.1.5 and those from other variants.
The World Health Organization is planning an updated assessment on its risks in the coming days.
China has yet to report any domestic cases of the variant that’s been found in at least 28 other nations. South Africa was among the latest to join the list.
The European Union “strongly encouraged” members to adopt pre-departure Covid testing, recommended masking on flights and urged wastewater checks.
Portugal’s testing requirement was supposed to take effect from Sunday.
In addition, passengers and crew travelling to and from China must use a face mask during the flight, and Lisbon’s airport will undertake wastewater monitoring to identify the virus and carry out genomic sequencing.
In Thailand, adults must show proof of at least two vaccinations or recovery from the virus since July from Monday. India introduced mandatory Covid-19 tests this month for fliers from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand.

China’s rich tourists prefer to stay home

Bloomberg

During last year’s bruising Covid lockdown in Shanghai, Qin Bing dreamed of traveling overseas. As China
reopened its borders on Sunday after three years of Covid isolation, however, the 36-year-old marketing manager is staying put.
The $280 billion force that is Chinese tourism may not reemerge for months, thanks to lingering infections, restrictions for new arrivals and surging costs tied to a breakdown of the global travel infrastructure.
“Ticket prices are going crazy,” said Qin, who used to fly abroad at least three times a year before the pandemic but now fears Covid reinfection and high flight costs. “Travel packages are only for people who have money to burn; definitely not me.”
China’s 1.4 billion residents endured the strictest mobility curbs of the pandemic, largely cut off from the world for three years as the government pursued a zero tolerance approach.
The pent-up demand was expected to unleash a surge
of travel and spending after China scrapped its quarantine from January 08.