The Department of Health and Social Care said people travelling from China on direct flights from 5 January will be asked to take a pre-departure Covid test.Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the government was taking a "balanced and precautionary approach", adding the measures were "temporary" as officials assess the latest Covid data.China's foreign ministry said earlier this week that its "epidemic situation" overall was "predictable and under control".The true toll of daily cases and deaths in China is unknown as officials have stopped requiring cases to be reported, and changed classifications for Covid deaths.The UK government said its decision was due to a "lack of comprehensive health information shared by China"."