Cathay Pacific crew working on a flight from Hong Kong arriving at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia on January 4, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)
Airline passengers departing from China, Hong Kong and Macau, negative COVID-19 testing when entering Canada starting today.
The Canadian government announced last week that travelers need negative Testing conducted within 48 hours of departure amid a surge in cases in China.
Other countries, including the United States and some European countries, have imposed similar rules despite China’s protests.
A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry this week criticized the change in requirements, saying some countries were trying to manipulate COVID measures for political purposes and would take countermeasures.
Penny Tao, who arrived in Vancouver by plane from Hong Kong on Wednesday, said she moved her flight up to avoid testing ahead of the busy schedule of the Chinese New Year, which is scheduled for later this month.
BC University student Jiayuan Jin was one of the first to arrive under the new inspection rules when her flight landed on Saturday. They say they support the new strategy because it gives them better results. .
