BEIJING – Passengers arriving from outside the Chinese mainland and close contacts of COVID-19 patients can be released from quarantine if they test negative for the virus following two separate nucleic acid tests of simultaneously collected nasal and throat samples, according to the latest guidelines for COVID-19 prevention and control.
In principle, the two tests, conducted during their quarantine and when the quarantine is lifted, should use two different reagents and should be carried out by two different testing agencies, according to the guidelines released by the State Council inter-agency task force for COVID-19 response.
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According to the aviation authorities, China has so far canceled 487 inbound flights due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic
Those who are released from quarantine should undergo nucleic acid testing on the second day and seventh day after medical observation is lifted, and they are required to keep a close watch on their personal health and avoid gatherings, according to the guidelines.
487 inbound flights canceled
According to the aviation authorities, China has so far canceled 487 inbound flights due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
China's air routes currently remain open with 52 countries, and over the past four weeks, it has handled 2,080 inbound flights each week, including 223 passenger flights, Han Guangzu, an official with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), told a press conference on Friday.
To tackle risks of imported COVID-19 cases, the CAAC has urged all airlines to ensure that they check health codes, set up emergency isolation areas on planes and limit passenger capacity for international passenger flights, according to Han.
For international cargo flights, airlines must strengthen aircraft disinfection, and introduce special delivery process for high-risk cargoes, Han said.