All passengers on flights from China arriving in Spain must present an EU COVID digital certificate or equivalent
All passengers on flights from China arriving in Spain from Tuesday, January 3rd must present an EU Digital COVID Certificate (CCD-EU) or equivalent.
The measure is part of a decision published by the Health Department of the Bank of England on December 31, which establishes health control measures that will be applied to passengers on flights originating in the mainland of the People’s Republic of China, so that flights from other origins , such as Hong Kong, will not be affected.
Certificates are Valid
As explained by the Ministry of Health, “in the case of vaccination certificates, the vaccination guidelines specified in Spain’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy will be accepted”.
In case of negative diagnostic test certificate, NAAT, sample obtained within 72 hours prior to departure; and rapid tests for the detection of antigens from the COVID-19 Common List, approved by the European Union Health Safety Committee, whose sample was obtained within 24 hours before departure”, adds the Ministry of Health.
“In the case of a recovery certificate, one issued by the competent authority or a medical service, at least 11 days after the first diagnostic test or NAAT antigen detection test with a positive result, carried out by qualified health professionals or personnel. will be valid for 180 days from the date of the first positive result of the diagnostic test”, according to a note from the Ministry of Health.
Finally, if they do not have an EU COVID digital certificate or equivalent, “passengers must have an active COVID-19 infection diagnostic test certificate with a negative result, such as those indicated above.”
Airport Health Checks
In addition to certification, foreign health teams began, as of December 31, in coordination with the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda through AENA, to carry out health examinations for these passengers at the airports of entry into Spain.
These controls will consist of “documentary, visual, temperature control and carrying out a diagnostic test for active SARS-CoV-2 infection”.
If this active infection test is positive, “the communication and coordination protocols established with the Health Services of the Autonomous Communities will be activated”.
This measure is part of the set of measures announced by the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, in view of the increased incidence of the epidemic caused by COVID-19 in China.
The first flight affected by the health control measures adopted by the government arrived at Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport at 6 pm on December 31.
The controls will initially be in effect until midnight on February 15, 2023.
And the first antivirus checks carried out last Saturday on all passengers from China, whether for temperature or not, showed negative results.
Madrid and Barcelona, Aaccess Points
Direct flights from China to Spain land at Madrid and Barcelona airports.
In Catalonia, the Ministry of Health of the Generalitat has indicated that it will carry out the sequencing of all the positive cases of COVID-19 detected (first with an antigen test and then PCR) among passengers arriving at Barcelona airport on direct flights from China.
The said department of the Generalitat stated that “the sequencing will allow a comprehensive control of the situation and will ensure that the possible COVID positives are not due to new variants of the virus”.
On the other hand, the Minister of Health of the Generalitat recommended that all people traveling to China “do so with an updated vaccination schedule to protect themselves as much as possible”.