China tightens management of international flight and ship crews

To prevent imported COVID-19 cases, China has ramped up the management of crew members of international ships and flights, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

All crew members inbound and outbound must report their health conditions, while airlines and ships are required to carry out onboard body temperature tests and report to the GAC when any anomalies occur, said GAC official Song Yueqian at a press conference on April 27.

The GAC has also been conducting risk assessments toward all incoming flights and ships, according to the official.

Ships should strictly prohibit irrelevant personnel from getting on or off the ships without permission, Song said.

Song also noted that nucleic acid tests will be carried out for some crew members disembarking from ships and flights of domestic or foreign airlines depending on their routes and duration of stay.

For Chinese crew members who change shifts and board ships at domestic ports, the customs will implement strict health inspection measures such as body temperature monitoring and medical inspections, said Song.