Following an increase in the number of Coronavirus cases in China since the latter reopened its borders on December 7, 2022, after keeping them almost completely closed for three years, the French authorities have decided to impose COVID-19 entry restrictions on passengers from this country.
Through a decree approved on December 30 last year, France has decided to establish health checks for flights from China, starting from next Thursday, January 5, 2023, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
“Faced with the resurgence of the COVID-19 epidemic in China and with a view to the very imminent reopening of the borders of this State, the decree establishes health control measures in order to ensure the protection of the French population,” reads the decree, published on the official bulletin of the French government.
According to the same, travellers aged 12 and older will have to present negative results of a Coronavirus test taken within the last 48 hours, before their trip to France.
They will also have to sign a certificate through which they confirm that they have no symptoms of the virus, and that they have not been in contact with an infected person in the 14 days before their flight. Through this certificate, travellers from China also agree to test for COVID-19 upon arrival and make themselves available to be contacted by the French authorities for up to 15 days after their arrival in France.
“If the result of the test performed on arrival is positive for COVID-19, they do a seven-day isolation period and then do a PCR or antigenic test at the end of this isolation period,” the French Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs notes in a statement explaining the restrictions.
Before the restrictions become effective on January 5, travellers from China may be randomly subjected to optional testing, upon reaching France.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also recalls that since January 1, 2023, all travellers from China aged six and older are obliged to wear a mask on the plane. Exempt are disabled persons with a medical certificate justifying the exemption.
France is the third country in Europe to have brought back entry restrictions for passengers from China, amid an outbreak of the virus in the Asian country. Italy was the first European country to introduce COVID-19 entry measures for travellers from China on December 26, though the measures were officially announced only two days later, on December 28.
Spain became the second EU state to bring back COVID-19 entry requirements for passengers from China on December 31, while several others like Greece have already confirmed that they will not be imposing any measures of a similar nature.
These actions have been criticized by many, including here Airports Council International – ACI EUROPE which has called the newly imposed COVID-19 restrictions “scientifically unjustified”.
France removed all travel restrictions related to Coronavirus in the spring of last year, while at the same time abolishing the domestic health pass, which for a long period of time was required for accessing restaurants and other indoor areas in France, amid the Coronavirus pandemic.
Source SchengenVisaInfo.com
