COVID test to be required for travellers from China

Travellers from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau will need to take a COVID-19 test and get a negative result before flying to Australia from Thursday.

Health Minister Mark Butler said the new requirement was in response to the significant wave of COVID-19 infections in China and the potential for emerging viral variants there.

Health Minister Mark Butler has announced COVID tests for Chinese travellers.Credit: Luis Ascui

“The decision to implement these temporary measures has been made out of an abundance of caution, taking into account the dynamic and evolving situation in China and the potential for new variants to emerge in an environment of high transmission,” he said.

“This small but sensible move will help to protect people who are at risk of severe illness and safeguard our healthcare system.”

From 12.01am on January 5, travellers will be required to undertake a COVID-19 test within 48 hours before travel and show evidence of a negative test result when travelling to Australia.

A spokeswoman for Butler said that a decision about whether it will be a RAT or PCR test would be made in coming days.

Butler said the new measures were precautionary and temporary and will remain under review based on available health advice.

“Australia is well positioned in its pandemic response. We continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation in Australia and internationally, in collaboration with medical experts. Our absolute priority is keeping our community safe and continuing to be a world leader when it comes to responding to the global COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

“In making this decision, I have been briefed extensively by the chief medical officer. Australia now joins other countries across the world including France, India, Japan, Malaysia, Spain, the Republic of Korea, England and the United States of America in implementing similar measures.”

The World Health Organisation has pointed to the lack of a clear global understanding of the genomic sequencing of cases in China.

Butler said Australia would introduce the testing requirement, explore the feasibility of wastewater testing from aeroplanes, strengthening community wastewater testing arrangements across the country and voluntary testing at airports for inbound travellers “in light of that lack of comprehensive information”.

It is unclear how Australia can rely on the transparency of test results from China.

At the end of 2022, 17,052 COVID deaths had been reported in Australia since the beginning of the pandemic, and 14,790 occurred last year alone. Last Friday, 3599 people were in hospital with COVID, almost half of them in NSW.

Passengers arriving from China are tested for COVID-19 on arrival in Milan, Italy. Australia will now do the same.Credit: LaPresse/AP

In November, Butler said ATAGI would make third booster recommendations in the new year ahead of the Australian winter.

While the reporting of positive COVID tests and isolation are no longer mandatory, NSW Health recommends staying home when you are sick and taking precautions against infecting others, such as wearing a mask, for at least seven days. It continues to recommend people keep up to date with their vaccinations and wear a mask in crowded indoor spaces.

Butler said his department was working with states and territories to monitor the situation in Australia very closely.

“The government continues to work closely with state and territory governments to improve our capacity to detect and rapidly respond to any new emerging variants of concern,” he said.

Life began returning to normal in Beijing this week as restrictions were eased, despite emerging variants there.Credit: Sanghee Liu

“There is no advice to change our current approach to managing this phase of the pandemic in Australia. Fortunately, in Australia we have readily available access to vaccines and treatments, and high underlying population immunity.”

Butler said all people should stay up to date with vaccinations and all single people eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine should make an appointment as soon as they are eligible. Anyone who is eligible for oral anti-viral treatments should have a plan to access those if they test positive.

Universities Australia said universities were ready to welcome back international students and the new government decision would not close the door to Chinese students returning to Australia to start or continue their university studies.

“In line with the health advice, they will be required to test negative to COVID-19 before entering Australia. This is a sensible measure in response to the evolving situation in China, and mirrors what other countries are doing,” chief executive Catriona Jackson said.

Medical workers in protective gear outside a COVID hospital in Beijing on Tuesday.Credit: AP

China is Australia’s biggest market of international students, but around 36 per cent enrolled in universities remain outside the country.

“Education is Australia’s largest services export – contributing over $40 billion to the economy and supporting 250,000 jobs in 2019,” Jackson said.

“It’s imperative we do everything we can to recover the position of strength we held prior to the pandemic.”

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.