Customs alters health inspection process

The General Administration of Customs is optimizing COVID-19 prevention and control measures to protect international travelers and secure transportation and trade.

Li Zhengliang, deputy director of the administration's Health and Quarantine Department, said at a news conference on Friday in Beijing that customs departments are following newly released State-level epidemic control measures for checking the health of international travelers and inspection and disinfection work on inbound vehicles such as planes and other vessels.

He said that customs are encouraging border cities to use contactless methods of receiving international goods and parcels, and to pay close attention to new infectious diseases like monkey pox and a strain of hepatitis of unknown etiology in children, to avoid possible risk of transmission.

Customs are also optimizing working procedures to take more scientific and precise measures in epidemic prevention.

According to Li, international travelers will have a throat swab on arrival rather than a nasal swab and will not be required to give blood samples for COVID-19 testing.

Li said that onboard inspections of some inbound flights which have less direct contact with domestic workers and present a lower risk transmission, will be canceled to shorten customs clearance.

The quarantine policy for workers with a high risk of infection, such as those involved in health checkups and cold-chain food management, is also being optimized.

Previously, customs workers had to undergo seven-day centralized quarantine after working for 14 days, followed by seven-day home quarantine. Now, they need only undergo seven-day centralized quarantine while working in closed-loop management.

Li said that customs will continue to optimize inspection and quarantine measures in the future to secure the mainland's safety.