COVID-19: Undertake only essential travel to China

COVID-19: Undertake only essential travel to China – Government

Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration

Government has issued a travel advisory with respect to travel to China in view of rising cases of infection of COVID-19.

Citizens are advised to only undertake essential travel to the Asian country as per a press statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry.

The January 3, 2023 statement read: “In view of the COVID-19 situation in China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration wishes to advise the general public to take necessary precautions when travelling to China. As much as possible, only essential travel should be undertaken, until further notice.

“Furthermore, Government has decided that, with effect from Friday 6th January, 2023, all persons travelling from China to Ghana will now have to produce a 48-hour PCR test and undergo mandatory antigen testing at the point of entry free of charge until further notice,” it concluded.

Ghana recently revised its COVID-19 guidelines for passengers arriving from China using the country’s main international airport, the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.

This follows concerns about a spike in infections in China, one of Ghana’s largest trading partners, where removal of restrictions in December has caused a sharp rise in COVID-19 infections.

In response to the “unclear” COVID-19 situation in China, several countries now require travelers originating their trip from China to take a test for the virus. They include the United States, Italy, Japan, India, South Korea and Taiwan.

The revised guidelines set by Ghanaian authorities, which come into effect on January 6, 2023 at 00:00 hours (UTC), require passengers from China to produce valid negative COVID-19 PCR test results taken 48 hours prior to departure from the country.

“Passengers originating their journey from China will be required to present a valid negative COVID-19 PCR Test result 48 hours prior to departure from the originating country.”

“All persons arriving in Ghana (citizens, residents, and visitors) who are fully vaccinated will be exempt from any form of testing done either prior to boarding from the originating country or on arrival in Ghana except passengers originating their journey from China.

“In addition, such passengers will be required to undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport at no cost,” the statement issued by Ghana Airports Company Limited in Accra noted.

With additional files from aviationghana.com report