ADDS ANNOUNCEMENT FROM UK
By Aysu Bicer
LONDON (AA) - More countries introduced coronavirus restrictions on travelers from China with the UK on Friday imposing pre-departure COVID-19 tests.
"From 5 January, people flying from China to England will be asked to take a pre-departure test. In addition, a sample of arrivals will be tested for COVID to enhance existing measures to monitor for new variants," according to the Department of Health.
In addition, the UK Health Security Agency is launching surveillance from Jan. 8 which will see a sample of passengers arriving in England from China tested at the point of their arrival.
France also required travelers from China to show a negative COVID test fewer than 48 hours old with their boarding pass, with random tests carried out on passengers on arrival, according to media reports.
China recently announced it would begin to ease pandemic measures, the last biggest economy to opt for "living with COVID" following three years of lockdowns, closed borders and mandatory quarantine.
Since the decision, an unprecedented number of people in China have been infected daily.
The move came amid fresh announcements by the US, the UK, Japan, Italy and Spain that will enforce new requirements for people from China, including negative COVID-19 test results.