India Makes COVID Tests Mandatory For Arrivals From 5 Countries

India announced on Thursday that starting on January 1st, India will need travelers from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand to have a negative COVID-19 test (Dec 29).

According to Indian health minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s tweets, travelers from these nations and territories will need to upload their test results before departing on a government website in India.

The health ministry stated in a statement that “this is being done in view of the changing COVID-19 situation across the world,” adding that the test should be taken within 72 hours of traveling to India.

In addition to the 2% of all international travelers arriving in India who are randomly tested, the new need for a COVID-19 test would be implemented.

On Wednesday, the High Commission of India in Singapore stated that visitors from Singapore are not required to take the COVID-19 tests before entering India.

In response to a COVID-19 rise in China after authorities eased tight “zero-COVID” standards, India has joined the US, Japan, Italy, and Taiwan in requiring mandatory COVID-19 tests for travelers from China.

In order to coordinate their very varied perspectives on how to react to China’s decision to eliminate its COVID-19 restrictions amid a wave of infections there, top health officials from the European Union met on Thursday.

According to the minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, travelers from such nations would need to post their test results on a government website run by India before departing.

In addition to the 2% of all international travelers arriving in India who are randomly tested, the new need for a COVID test would be implemented.

In response to a COVID upsurge there after authorities loosened tight “zero-COVID“ standards, India followed the US, Japan, Italy, and Taiwan in requiring COVID tests for tourists from China.