The national health commission announced in recent days that starting from January 8, China will reduce the coronavirus control for passengers arriving from abroad. In short, it is the end of the strict zero tolerance policy: borders open to air travel and the end of the quarantine requirement. However, although covid-19 appears less virulent, hundreds of thousands are infected in the Dragon Country.

The lifting of the restrictions is an important step towards the full restoration of air links with the rest of the world. The old rules will still apply for a few days: arriving passengers must remain in quarantine for five days in a hotel, followed by three days at home. However, it will remain mandatory to wear masks on aircraft and show the negative result of the swab carried out at least 48 hours before departure.

The announcement by the National Health Commission prompted a surge in online searches for overseas flights. According to various local and international media reports, for example, the Tongcheng travel platform has seen a +850% increase in searches and a 10-fold increase in visa applications.