China's Short-Term Visa Issuance Restrictions and Mandatory Entry Testing... "Mask Removal Likely to Be Delayed" (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Gwan-ju and Byun Seon-jin] The government has decided to restrict the issuance of short-term visas and effectively halt additional flights from China to minimize the domestic impact of the COVID-19 spread in China. All entrants will be required to undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, and confirmed cases imported from abroad will be subject to quarantine measures. The health authorities forecasted the peak of the 7th wave of COVID-19 this winter to be at the end of January, but if the influx of COVID-19 from China becomes a variable in domestic spread, the indoor mask mandate lifting could be postponed.

Measures in Response to COVID-19 Spread in China... Strengthened Quarantine Measures for Arrivals from China

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) finalized the 'COVID-19 Trends and Response Plan Related to China' at a meeting held on the 30th at the Government Seoul Office. This measure is in response to the spread of COVID-19 within China. The number of confirmed cases imported from China has also surged sharply, increasing nearly 15-fold from 19 cases last month to 278 as of the day before yesterday. The government had earlier added China to the target countries for quarantine at Incheon International Airport from the 16th and tightened the fever threshold (from 37.5℃ to 37.3℃), but due to the continued spread in China and increased risk of importation, this plan was devised to minimize domestic impact.

First, until the end of January next year, the issuance of short-term visas at Chinese diplomatic missions will be restricted except for diplomatic/official purposes, essential business operations, and humanitarian reasons. This is interpreted as a measure effectively blocking short-term travel from China to Korea. Additionally, flights from China will be partially reduced and further increases in flights will be restricted. Currently, flights arriving at four airports from China will be consolidated to Incheon Airport for stable management of arrivals.

Regarding COVID-19 testing, which attracted much attention, it was decided that testing will be conducted both before and after entry. From January 5 next year, all Korean and foreign nationals boarding flights from China to Korea must submit a PCR test result within 48 hours before boarding or a professional rapid antigen test (RAT) result within 24 hours.

Also, PCR testing within one day after entry will be implemented from January 2 for all entrants. Short-term foreign visitors must be tested immediately upon entry and wait in a separate area until results are available, while Korean nationals and long-term foreign residents must be tested at their local health centers within one day of entry and remain at home until results are confirmed.

Jiyoung Mi, Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, explained, "When COVID-19 first emerged in 2020, Korea was most affected by neighboring China. PCR testing after entry is especially important for whole genome sequencing to analyze variants, which is why it was introduced." The health authorities have been conducting whole genome sequencing on imported cases from China since the 16th, currently analyzing about 75% of positive samples.

In addition, to prevent confusion at the arrival hall, the use of the 'Quarantine Information Pre-Entry System (Q-Code)' will be mandatory for flights from China. Arrivals must register their domestic address and contact information via Q-Code before boarding. Quarantine management for confirmed cases imported from China will also be strengthened. Temporary home facilities will be operated nationwide, and confirmed cases at the airport will be managed in temporary isolation facilities.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stated, "Due to the worsening COVID-19 situation in China, some quarantine measures have been inevitably strengthened to prevent domestic spread. We anticipate inconvenience for those arriving from China due to these strengthened regulations, but we ask for understanding as these measures are unavoidable to minimize COVID-19 spread and stabilize the domestic quarantine situation, and we request active cooperation."

Experts: Strengthened Quarantine for Arrivals from China is Inevitable... Will Mask Mandate Lifting be Delayed?

Experts view the strengthened quarantine measures for arrivals from China as inevitable. Professor Kim Woo-joo of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital said, "With the increase of variant viruses such as BF.7 in China and the rising number of arrivals from China, it recalls the nightmare of COVID-19 when it first emerged three years ago and China was not banned from entry. Since public health and safety are paramount, it is appropriate to implement strengthened quarantine measures specifically for arrivals from China. Additional strengthening measures should also be taken based on scientific quarantine."

Although the possibility of lifting indoor mask mandates around the end of January after a gradual peak was suggested, there is also a forecast that it could be delayed. The health authorities presented four indicators for lifting indoor mask mandates: ▲weekly cases decreasing for two consecutive weeks ▲weekly severe cases decreasing and weekly fatality rate below 0.10% ▲availability of more than 50% of intensive care unit beds within four weeks ▲vaccination rates of 50% for those aged 60 and above and 60% for infection-vulnerable facilities. If two or more of these indicators are met, indoor mask mandates can be lifted. However, Lim Sook-young, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters Situation Unit, said, "If new variants spread domestically from overseas and there is a risk of a rapid increase in cases, we must first assess whether medical response capacity is sufficient."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.