Stockholm, Feb.1(CED) – Passengers arriving in Finland from China should be required to present proof of negative COVID-19 test and wear a mask or respirator during flights, according to news reaching here from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in Finland today.

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.

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.