COVID19 flare-ups prompt Beijing residents to stay put

Beijing tightened border controls on Monday, citing both imported COVID19 cases and domestic flare-ups.

Residents are also advised not to leave Beijing unless absolutely necessary and not to travel to high- and medium-risk areas where confirmed cases have been reported.

People from key industries and venues must take nucleic acid tests immediately upon return to Beijing, authorities said Monday.

Between 4 p.m. Sunday and 3 p.m. Monday, the capital reported one new local confirmed COVID-19 case and one As of now, Beijing has one high-risk and one medium-risk residential community, with low-risk areas remaining.

A green health code will not be issued to those who travelled to counties or districts where cases have been reported within 14 days. They are not allowed to travel to Beijing and must adhere to local anti-epidemic protocols.

Passengers bound for Beijing will be closely monitored at airports, railway stations, and long-distance bus stations. Those without green health codes are not allowed to board trains or planes bound for Beijing.

Those who refuse to cooperate with epidemic prevention management and conceal related travel and contact histories will be prosecuted and their names made public to raise public awareness of epidemic prevention.

Tourist attractions, parks, theatres, museums, and other cultural and entertainment venues will be limited to 75% of their capacity. Temporary suspension of cross-provincial tourism and inbound and outbound travel services.

Two self-driving tour groups were infected in Beijing. One of the groups failed to report their travels. After returning to Beijing, the five-person team bought medicine for those who had COVID19 symptoms and organised 8 people to play mahjong twice at home, according to Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of Beijing CDC. One of the tour group’s 1,534 close contacts has five cases.

The other tour group with four members had returned to Beijing in time and were all quarantined at home with their families. Pang said they had one case out of 310 close contacts.

Off-campus training has been suspended in Shunyi District, Beijing, as well. Haidian district has also halted similar trainings.

Offline activities will be limited and some events, like the Beijing Marathon, will be postponed.