New Zealand is currently in face of surging COVID-19 cases with an average 10000 cases recorded daily since July 2022, and the most infectious BA.5 Omicron sub-variants are now dominant in New Zealand. There has been a significant increase in numbers of people departing from New Zealand to China, and followed an increase in imported cases from New Zealand, reported by the health authorities in the relevant provinces and cities of China. In an effort to ensure the health and safety of air passengers, and to avoid the flights between China and New Zealand being suspended, the Chinese Diplomatic and Consular missions in New Zealand remind that passengers departing from New Zealand to China to be well prepared for personal health protection before their travel and during the flight to China.
1. Avoid non-essential outdoor activities. Before traveling to China, we strongly encourage that people to stay at home, avoid going to gatherings and dinning. Wearing a face mask whenever you have to leave your home, and avoid using public transportation and go to crowded places and venues with poor ventilation.
2. Close-loop management after tests. After completing pre-departure PCR tests, it is necessary to strengthen risk prevention awareness, minimize the chances of being infected by completely avoiding high-risk places.
3. Remain vigilant and continue to take serious precautions before boarding. We strongly encourage to wear a face mask at the all times when traveling to the airport, and whenever possible, avoid drinking water, eating, and using a public toilet when it is crowded. Please sanitize your hands immediately if you had to use public facilities.
4. Follow the infection prevention and control precautions set by the airline company when on board. Strictly follow the instructions given by the cabin crew members, and take good care of your personal protection. Except nessesary eating or drinking, please wear a face mask in the cabin at all times throughout the flight. To avoid cross infection during the flight, whenever is possible, we encourage anyone to reduce movement in the cabin, Take precautions when using the public restroom.
5. Travelers from a third country intend to travel to China via New Zealand, please be well-prepared for personal protection and personal health monitoring before traveling to New Zealand, and avoid getting infected during the flight to New Zealand. If it were to occur that you returned a positive test result after landing in New Zealand, please immediately seek isolation advice from the New Zealand health authority, and also to avoid being stranded or overstaying in New Zealand, as well as facing financial loss, it is necessary to make sure you have a valid New Zealand visa or hold a visa allowing you to return the departed country of origin.
International travel still poses a high risk of getting infected, and in an effort to reduce cross-infection during the travel, the Chinese diplomatic and consular missions in New Zealand still encourage avoiding all non-essential and non-urgent travels.
Details and requirements of pre-departure tests to China from New Zealand, please refer to the Q&As on Applying for Health Code or Health Declaration Form (July 2022).
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in New Zealand
Chinese Consulate-General in Auckland
Chinese Consulate-General in Christchurch
21 July 2022