Coronavirus - those in China, and general discussion

[mungouk]

10 minutes ago, ChTTay said:

Last I heard they’re blaming imported fish or meat products for the outbreak.

 

I'm not sure where I read it today (maybe here?) but they were saying that the chopping surfaces in the market being used for imported salmon had tested positive for the virus (and it's now being taken off sale)... which isn't quite the same as claiming that fish and meat products can propagate the virus.

 

What's the mood on the ground there, @ChTTay?  

[ChTTay]

Yeah something like that. It just means blanket bad on imported fresh produce for now. 
 

Honestly no big changes so far. Some places are more strict with the temp checks and wanting to see the health app (which they were doing anyway but maybe not so vigilant). 
 

If you visited those markets you will likely have to quarantine and get tested. 

[Shelley]

Just  watched the english CGTV news, people don't seem too stresses, one lady who couldn't sell her peaches in the market has set up outside the cordon round the market. Large supermarkets have said they have bought enough fresh produce to ensure there are no shortages. Lots of testing going to happen.

I think they will deal with it very well, better than some countries.

[ChTTay]

Beijing bureau of foreign affairs:

 

From June 11 to 13, there have been 43 newly confirmed local cases in Beijing, all of whom are related to the Xinfadi Market.

 

Beijing is conducting screening and nucleic acid test on those who have been to the Xinfadi Market or have had contact with people from the market since May 30. This is carried out in an orderly way by communities. Since May 30, the abovementioned people should proactively and truthfully report to their community or employer, and go to the nearest medical institution with fever clinics as soon as possible. You can dial 120 to take a designated vehicle.

 

[889]

SMS sent out by CM Beijing this afternoon:

 

根据疫情防控要求，北京市将对5月30日以来到过北京新发地农贸批发市场或与市场销售人员有密切接触的人员开展核酸检测，以社区为单位进行筛查，做到应检尽检，愿检尽检。请上述人员主动向工作单位和社区报告并进行核酸检测及健康监测。北京市卫生健康委已在其官网上公布了全市98家具备核酸检测能力的机构。为了您和大家的健康，请主动配合北京市疫情防控要求，主动接受健康筛查。（北京市防控办)

[mungouk]

Some green shoots here maybe, as some "non-essential shops" start to re-open in the UK...

 

The UK Visa For China office in London is starting phased re-opening as of today, 16 June, although at present this is only for a very limited set of circumstances.

 

See Notice on a controlled reopening service at the visa centre (16 June).  

 

According to their websites, the other offices in Edinburgh, Belfast and Manchester are still closed.

[ChTTay]

So.... the threat level in Beijing has been increased in various places around the city or will be.  Many sports fields closed to the public (I had a football match cancelled). Some gyms remain open but others have closed again. 
 

In Shunyi they shut down most good&beverage places for testing/inspection today.

 

It seems likely we will return to no large group dining and social distancing in restaurants again. 

update 17.6.2020:

Schools in Beijing closed to students. Sports facilities closed. Some flights cancelled in/out of Beijing. I read that Inter-city transport also curtailed but less sure about this. 
 

Definitely some fear and anxiety back. Lot of people posting on wechat about masks again or people not wearing them. 

[zander1]

Looks like quite a major outbreak (or at least the authorities treating it as such, over here it probably wouldn’t even register lol).

 

Obviously it’s far too early to tell, but I do wonder if Covid-19 does end up being endemic and impossible to fully control, China may end up slightly being a victim of its own success. It may be that the aim of totally eradicating the virus is not entirely possible and places unrealistic expectations. This is especially the case for Beijing, where heaven and earth was previously moved to stop outbreaks occurring there. 

[ChTTay]

6 hours ago, zander1 said:

Looks like quite a major outbreak (or at least the authorities treating it as such,

More the latter than the former at the moment. 

[zander1]

.

[Jan Finster]

Does anyone have an inkling when foreign tourists or language students are allowed back into Taiwan (without spending 14 days in quarantine)? For those of you, who are in Taiwan, is this a topic that is being discussed in the news?

[carlo]

This documentary set in Wuhan is very nice, if you haven't watched it yet. And you can practice Chinese, Japanese and Wuhan dialect with one video.

[pan.kasper]

If anyone knows any rumours about Chinese border reopening, please let me know. I've been stuck in South Korea for more than 4 months now without anything on me, getting really depressed here

[abcdefg]

30 minutes ago, pan.kasper said:

If anyone knows any rumours about Chinese border reopening, please let me know. I've been stuck in South Korea for more than 4 months now without anything on me, getting really depressed here

 

I don't have any new information, but I understand your predicament. Can imagine how it must feel to be marooned like that. When I fled Kunming at the end of January, I never expected to have to be away so long. (Am in the U.S.) 

 

South Korea has at least done a good job of responding to the virus. I would guess that would affect how and when travel permission with China might eventually be restored. For your sake, I hope it comes soon. 

[pan.kasper]

@abcdefg thank you for your sympathy, i'm not the only one in this situation so I hope they will let us back soon. Especially given that other countries are slowly reopening

 

10 minutes ago, abcdefg said:

South Korea has at least done a good job of responding to the virus. I would guess that would affect how and when travel permission with China might eventually be restored. For your sake, I hope it comes soon. 

That's true and it makes me somewhat optimistic. That is also why i didn't decide to go back to Europe (lack of flights is another significant reason), assuming that it will be easier to fly back from Korea. Only thing i am worried about is that even if the borders reopen, I won't be allowed with my student visa in, as universities have their own policies regarding coronavirus and they tend to be really strict about them. 

[889]

Community transmission has ceased in southern China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan for some time now. Yet hardly any steps have been taken to return borders to normal operation. Travelers coming and going to the Mainland cannot even transit Hong Kong airport for a few hours.

 

Everything I see tells me that there are no plans at all to re-open. If you're hanging around waiting for that to happen, there's a very good argument that you're wasting your time. Just go home and start life anew.

 

And yes, I'd be very happy to be dead wrong about this.

 

[abcdefg]

1 hour ago, 889 said:

Community transmission has ceased in southern China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan for some time now. Yet hardly any steps have been taken to return borders to normal operation.

 

Assuming that you are correct about it being more than just a matter of epidemiology, what do you see as the main factors driving official decisions on when and how to reopen China's borders? 

 

1 hour ago, 889 said:

Everything I see tells me that there are no plans at all to re-open.

 

I don't recall noticing this point of view espoused elsewhere in the Sinosphere. Have I just missed it? 

[889]

The key words in there, to answer both questions, are "no plans."

 

Not saying it will never happen. Simply saying that returning borders to normal is not on the radar now. Officials aren't concerned about the border closures. The economic and social hardships they create are not an issue for the leadership. They're dealing with other problems.

 

Since mid-May, the Hong Kong Government has been promising an app that would permit a very limited number of businessmen and such to cross to Shenzhen and back without quarantine. Over six weeks have gone by, and nothing has come of this yet. Near-useless as the app would be given the limitations on who can use it, and they still can't move on it.

 

So yes, sometimes it does seem that returning the borders to normal is an eternity away. Thus my advice to head home and make a new life for yourself.

 

 

 

[abcdefg]

 

36 minutes ago, 889 said:

Thus my advice to head home and make a new life for yourself.

 

I understand and appreciate your practical advice. Not arguing against it. 

 

36 minutes ago, 889 said:

The key words in there, to answer both questions, are "no plans." ... Not saying it will never happen. Simply saying that returning borders to normal is not on the radar now. Officials aren't concerned about the border closures. The economic and social hardships they create are not an issue for the leadership. They're dealing with other problems.

 

The leaders "have bigger fish to fry" -- OK, got it. 

[Saxondale]

Some of the major British airlines have permission to resume flights in early August, so there's some hope...of course it might only be for Chinese Nationals but it's the only progress i've seen recently.