Negative COVID-19 test must for Chinese travellers

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has instructed airlines that people travelling from China to Finland should be required to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 48 hours before the start of their trip. Passengers should also wear a mask or respirator during flights, said a government press release.

The Ministerial Working Group on Coordinating COVID-19 Response agreed on 5 January 2023 that people aged 12 and over arriving in Finland from China should be required to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

The decision was based on an approach adopted by the EU and Schengen countries’ Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR) mechanism on 4 January.

The aim of the recommendations is to reduce the risk of geographical spread of a potential new variant and to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 during air travel.