The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has advised Ghanaians to undertake only essential travels to China in the midst of global concerns over the Asian country’s new Covid policies.
After almost three years of closed borders, the policies reopened China to those with work and study visas, or seeking to visit family.
It also scrapped a cap on the daily number of flights. This is a major shift from the country’s zero-Covid policy.
The Ministry has therefore urged the public to take the necessary precaution when travelling to China.
“Only essential travels should be undertaken until further notice,” the ministry said in a statement dated January 3.
“Furthermore, government has decided that with effect from Friday 6th January 2023, all persons travelling from China to Ghana will now have to produce a 48hr negative PCR test and undergo mandatory antigen testing at the point of entry free of charge until further notice,” the statement stressed.
Following China’s new position, the Ghana Union of Traders Associations (GUTA) asked the Ghana Health Service to evaluate the situation in China and advise Ghanaian travelers accordingly.
“As we all know, China is a major destination of import for many Ghanaian traders, and as a result of the long wait, most Ghanaian businesses will want to resume their business trips to this productive and beautiful country,” it said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service has noted that the Ghana’s relatively low vaccine coverage poses a major threat of importation and a new wave of COVID-19 infection in the country.
The Service in a press release dated January 1, 2023, said it was taking the needed steps to ensure the situation does not get out of hand.
“This situation calls for tightening and reviewing of existing measures to avert further outbreaks. Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health are critically monitoring the situation in consultation with key stakeholders. We will shortly come out with our country specific measures to address the current threat of COVID-19, especially with respect to importation,” the Director-General of GHS, Dr. Patrick Kumah-Aboagye assured in the release.
Subsequently, the Ghana Airports Company (GAC) updated the Covid-19 guidelines for passengers using the Kotoka International Airport