Quarantine required for every inbound traveler
Beijing has tightened checks and management for inbound travelers to reduce imported infections, with services guaranteed for people in centralized quarantine.
Since March 25, the capital has required all inbound travelers receive nucleic acid tests and undergo a 14-day quarantine at designated sites for medical observation, regardless of their destinations. Travelers from overseas, who enter Beijing via other ports within 14 days, also need to obey the same rule, Chen Bei, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing government, said at a news conference on March 24.
Fees for isolation and observation should be paid by the travelers themselves. Travelers who provide false information or evade medical centralized observation will be punished in accordance with laws and regulations. The aim is to strengthen epidemic control by reducing imported infections, according to the local government.
The city had designated 149 such sites as of March 20, such as allocating suitable hotels in different districts. The hotels follow strict requirements for ventilation, disinfection, cleaning and waste treatment.
For instance, a designated hotel in Chaoyang district is divided into different areas for body temperature measurement, temporary luggage storage, waiting and registration. Inbound passengers are each given a bag, including a notice of the do’s and don’ts, the quarantine process and a phone number for staff. Disinfectants and a clinical thermometer are also contained in the bag, Beijing Youth Daily reported in late March.
At the hotel, passengers in quarantine are not allowed to leave their rooms or welcome any visitor. Meals, takeouts or deliveries will be put on a chair at the door of each guest room to ensure no human-to-human contact. The service staff can also buy medicines for people in need. Other services include routine health observation, psychological counseling, chronic disease diagnosis and foreign language services.
Passengers need to report their temperature twice a day. When they pass the health assessment after 14 days, they will be discharged from quarantine.
Li Hui, deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Beijing government, said at a news conference on March 20, that culture, customs and living habits of foreigners in quarantine are respected. For example, a multilanguage anti-virus pamphlet, a bilingual menu, Chinese and Western diets, and foreign TV channels are offered at hotels.
More than 100 volunteers from local universities and colleges are also involved in the operation of centralized quarantine, offering language services on the spot in English, Japanese, Korean, French, Italian, Germany and Russian.
The authorities have formulated standard procedures for centralized quarantine, ranging from reception and health monitoring to response to emergency and discharge, according to the city government.
Ge Haibin, head of the organization department of Fengtai district, said at a news conference on March 19, that inbound travelers can choose different hotels by location, environment and price.
He Jingtao, deputy head of Daxing district, said more than 80 percent of people in quarantine in the district stayed in towns or subdistricts where their homes are located, to make them feel more at ease.