• This week 20 updated COVID-19 prevention and control measure reforms were announced (for information about this, click here) – and now there’s MORE good news for people wanting to return to China: many Chinese embassies have updated the requirements for HDC (Health Declaration Code).
• The notice also canceled additional requirements for people with a history of infection, being close contacts, having suspected symptoms, or inconclusive test results, as they now can apply for a health code based on a negative nucleic acid test within 48 hours before boarding the plane.
• For transit passengers, the negative COVID-19 test result which was done in original country is now also valid when applying for HDC in the third country, as long as it is within 48 hours. This means that if passengers already have the health code of the place of origin, they can use the health code within the validity period to check in at the transfer point and there is no need to go through a second test and second application at the transfer point.
• Moreover, the nucleic acid test can now be carried out at either the place of departure OR the transition destination within 48 hours before boarding the flight to China.
Official announcements:
The Chinese embassies in the countries listed below (in alphabetic order) have already announced the new policy on their official website:
-Belgium
-Canada
-India
-Netherlands
-New Zealand
-Pakistan
-Russia
-Spain
-Singapore
-South-Korea
-Sweden
-United Kingdom
-United States
