From January 5 until March 10, 2023, travel regulations were in effect for entry into the United States. Air travelers, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, traveling to the US from China, Hong Kong, or Macau had to provide the airline with a negative COVID-19 test result prior to departure for the US. However, it was not only people traveling directly to the US from these regions who were affected.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced in late December 2022 that a negative COVID-19 test or proof of recovery was required for passengers from the People's Republic of China and the Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions entering the United States.
CDC justified this step as a result of the sharp increase in corona cases in China and aims to prevent further spread in the United States. Currently, no reliable transparent epidemiologic data are provided from China by which to monitor introduction of new COVID-19 variants.
Due to strict measures as well as mass testing regimes, corona cases in China had been contained within the last few years. After almost three years of lockdown, quarantines and strict contact tracing, China has now very abruptly lifted its "zero covid policy" on December 7 - after nationwide protests. The decision was justified by the rather harmless infection course of the Omikron variants. Furthermore, it was announced that China would reopen its borders to tourism on January 8 and that quarantine for entrants would no longer be required.
These measures had not only triggered a travel rush among the Chinese, but also a huge increase in COVID-19 infections. Within the last 3 weeks, an estimated 248 million people have been infected with the viral variant in China, the highest global increase in infections since the pandemic was announced in the spring of 2020.
Notably, the end of mandatory testing has made it impossible for Chinese authorities to provide realistic infection numbers. The Chinese government reacted soberly to the rise in infection, saying they believe international concerns are unfounded.
New SARS-CoV-2 variants continued to emerge worldwide within the last 2 years. Only through transparent disclosure and collaboration among public health agencies can new variants be identified, understood, and the further spread of the virus slowed. Testing efforts over the past two years have reduced the number of infected airplane passengers on board and contained the spread of the virus.
The World Health Organization (WHO) had asked China for more transparent communication related to the rising Corona situation and offered its support in the fight against the virus.
Global concern for transmission of the virus as well as new variants is on the rise, which is why the US has now joined Italy, Japan and India in calling for mandatory testing for travelers from China. Germany has also followed suit and introduced mandatory testing.
In order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, between January 5 and March 10, 2023, all air travelers aged two years and older entering the US from China, Hong Kong or Macau, either directly or with stopovers, had to present a negative COVID-19 test.
The requirements applied to passengers regardless of nationality or vaccination status. This includes US citizens and green card holders, as well as individuals who wished to enter the US on a US visa or under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP/ESTA). Passengers who had a transit stay in the USA were also included in the testing obligation.
In addition to the increased testing measures, CDC also announced an expansion of the TGS program (Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance Program), an early warning system designed to detect and characterize new COVID-19 variants.
This involves anonymously performing and collecting nasal swabs from international travelers upon arrival at major airports in the United States to identify variants of the virus. Currently, 7 US airports are participating in the program, with approximately 500 flights arriving daily from about 30 countries - about 290 flights weekly from Chinese regions.
Because of the different specifications in each case for regional corona testing, the TGS has been able to demonstrate gaps in global surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 variants. As a result, omicron variants were deposited in the global database early, before they were reported from other countries.
In addition to working with WHO and other countries, the TGS program aims to help limit the spread of corona at the airport, on airplanes, and in their respective destinations, making travel safer again.
Updated on 9.1.2023
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