Coronavirus - those in China, and general discussion

[mungouk]

I've just been sent this by a work colleague: List of COVID risk areas issued by CDC, 6 January.

 

High Risk

• Shijiazhuang, Hebei

 

Medium Risk

• Shunyi District, Beijing
• Chaoyang District, Beijing
• Xingtai, Hebei
• Shenyang, Liaoning
• Dalian, Liaoning
• Heihe, Heilongjiang

[roddy]

On 12/29/2020 at 11:18 PM, mungouk said:

21 days of quarantine still gives you 7 days (effectively 5) to report to the PSB and start the process.

Usually you are fine as long as you get your passport over the desk within the 30 days. I would definitely be getting nervous at the three week mark though.

[Jim]

I've been unable to pick up my renewed residence permit due to lockdown but called the police and they're fine with my force majeure excuse.

[roddy]

Can't imagine many people have flights booked at the moment, but even UK nationals now need a negative test to enter the UK - due to concern about the South Africa variant being vaccine-resistant.

[Jim]

Another case in the village and we've been upgraded to mid-level risk which means lockdown has no definite end I believe. News says the new case has no other close contacts.

Here's the story: https://news.163.com/21/0108/16/FVR58MND00019K82.html

ETA And a short video piece https://v.163.com/static/1/VPUBC3RHD.html

[mungouk]

If anyone's looking to travel within China, this tool lets you enter start city and destination and it will tell you the restrictions and regulations currently in force.

 

http://m.cc.bendibao.com/news/gelizhengce/all.php

 

It's not complete, but "更多地区在持续添加中". 

 

The pop-up window is asking if it's OK to use your current location.

[Dawei3]

20 hours ago, mungouk said:

If anyone's looking to travel within China

Even though it will likely be quite a while before I visit China again, I really appreciate these updates from Mungouk, Jim & everyone else.  Your posts give much insight into how things are going in China and how things are being handled.  Between your posts, comments from friends, and articles in the press, it shows how much more control China has over the situation (and its citizens).  

 

That China has an incredible level of control & monitoring, yet the virus still keeps circulating shows how difficult the virus will be control.  Considering that most other countries have far fewer controls that China, it seems like our only chance of success for defeating the virus will be the vaccines.  Yet, we don't even know yet whether (or which) vaccines will stop the transmission of the virus.  

 

To be clear, I think countries like mine, i.e., the US, should require much more use of masks & people themselves should practice safer behaviors. However, I'm skeptical that this will happen, so vaccines will be essential (assuming people are willing to accept them).    

 

 

 

[mungouk]

This web page has links to English translations of the daily briefings from China's National Health Commission.

 

It includes case numbers for all areas including "Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan province".

 

http://en.nhc.gov.cn/DailyBriefing.html

 

It's very wordy though, and presumably this information is already being presented as a more accessible table or graph elsewhere...

[mungouk]

Interesting post on What'sOnWeibo discussing the state/govt efforts to persuade everyone to stay put to celebrate new year 就地过年

 

https://www.whatsonweibo.com/no-chunyun-but-staycation-chinese-new-year-wont-be-the-same-this-year/

 

Here in Hangzhou my colleagues and I gradually became resigned over the last few weeks that we're not going anywhere. Some had already booked trips, and have cancelled. The college where we work has "strongly advised" against travelling, at least out of the province. 

 

Work's almost finished for the semester now and we find ourselves on a large, deserted campus that's usually packed with 15,000 students.  Only a handful of them are still here, since most of the students live in Zhejiang somewhere. 

 

Still, at least we're not "locked down" like many other countries right now. And there are much worse places to be stuck than Hangzhou.

 

Happy 立春！

 

[Dawei3]

I enjoy reading your updates.  谢谢！

[mungouk]

Now we're moving into the vaccination phase another problem rears its head... travel rules for those entering and re-entering China still require a negative IgM (antibody) test as well as a PCR test.

 

And yes, if you've been vaccinated there's a good chance you will have antibodies so you will "fail" the test.

 

Covid-19 vaccines may give you antibodies that prevent you entering China

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3123126/covid-19-vaccines-may-give-you-antibodies-prevent-you-entering

 

Embassies are currently giving contradictory advice on this, according to the article.

[889]

The screws tighten even further. In addition to all the existing rigmarole, starting tomorrow March 2, China is requiring all.those traveling from certain countries, such as Egypt, to quarantine at home for two weeks and then in a designated quarantine hotel for three days before even boarding their flight to China.

 

https://www.egyptair.com/en/about-egyptair/news-and-press/Pages/EGYPTAIR is back to the Sky as of 01July 2020.aspx

 

(See under "China.")

[abcdefg]

4 hours ago, 889 said:

The screws tighten even further. In addition to all the existing rigmarole, starting tomorrow March 2, China is requiring all.those traveling from certain countries, such as Egypt, to quarantine at home for two weeks and then in a designated quarantine hotel for three days before even boarding their flight to China.

 

I don't find those additional restrictions on the IATA reference page currently (March 1st.) Perhaps they will change tomorrow (March 2.) 

 

https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php 

[889]

According to this report, the additional requirements apply -- at least -- to travelers from Republic of Congo, Seychelles, South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and Saudi Arabia.

 

https://www.aerotime.aero/27320-China-new-travel-rules

[abcdefg]

The process of returning to China keeps getting more difficult. It's understandable, but discouraging. 

[889]

https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/6/166501/Japan-says-China-must-stop-anal-swab-tests-for-coronavirus-disease

[roddy]

The Sun, and I think I saw earlier the Times (both Murdoch stable papers) too, is reporting compulsory anal swabs / stool samples for arrivals. I don't know how accurate this is, but if anyone wants to trawl the foreign ministry site, or wherever such news might be posted...

 

I'm amused to see the last link in the Sun article is to a 57-page pdf in Chinese. Hope the National Health Commission website can cope with the extra traffic.

[Jan Finster]

On 3/4/2021 at 11:44 AM, roddy said:

The Sun, and I think I saw earlier the Times (both Murdoch stable papers) too, is reporting compulsory anal swabs / stool samples for arrivals.

 

I am not going to have an airport security staff go medieval on my bottom. Guess I will not be going to China anytime soon...

[Demonic_Duck]

Is it really any more invasive than nasal swabs? For all values of n > 1, I'd rather have a foreign object inserted n inches up my butt compared to my nose...

[xinoxanu]

On 3/4/2021 at 11:44 AM, roddy said:

I'm amused to see the last link in the Sun article is to a 57-page pdf in Chinese. Hope the National Health Commission website can cope with the extra traffic.

 

Scottish humour is so amazing that I ended up laughing in Chinese.

 

If you don't know how, here's a guide: http://blog.tutorming.com/mandarin-chinese-learning-tips/ways-to-laugh-in-chinese. I went with option 3 for extra cuteness.