Beijing will gradually resume direct inbound flights to the city from eight countries, starting from Thursday, the municipal government announced Wednesday.

 

北京市政府宣布，自9月3日起逐步恢复北京国际客运航班直航。

 

The listed countries are Cambodia, Greece, Denmark, Thailand, Pakistan, Austria, Canada and Sweden, all of which pose a low risk of cross-border infection and conduct nucleic acid tests for passengers.

 

The number of passengers on direct international flights to Beijing will be capped at around 500 each day during the trial period. The number is expected to double after the trial run ends.

 

The passengers should be citizens of those foreign countries or Chinese people who are traveling back from those countries. People from third countries should not take those flights as a transfer to Beijing.

 

Passengers without a negative nucleic acid test result or who fail to pass a temperature scan won't be able to board.

 

Passengers will be tested for COVID-19 in a special section at the Beijing Capital International Airport after going through customs clearance and inspection upon arrival.

 

The travelers must also undergo a mandatory 14-day concentrated medical observation. Those who test positive for COVID-19 or develop fever or symptoms of respiratory illness will be transferred to designated hospitals, including their close contacts.

 

Beijing residents returning from those countries via direct flights will need to have another 7-day health monitoring period at home after the 14-day quarantine.