SZ cuts quarantine period for overseas travelers

An expat checks in at a hotel for collective quarantine in Longhua District. DT News

Shenzhen has eased its quarantine measures for incoming overseas travelers, shortening their compulsory quarantine period from 21 days to 14 days.

The announcement was made by an official with the Shenzhen Municipal Health Commission at a press conference held by the Shenzhen Municipal Government Information Office at the Civic Center in Futian District on Thursday.

Previously, the city required all overseas travelers entering Shenzhen to be isolated for a period of 14 days at quarantine hotels before being transferred to a seven-day community-administered isolation. This was dubbed as the “14+7” quarantine policy.

All inbound overseas travelers are required to take four nucleic acid tests on the first, fourth, seventh and 14th day, during their quarantine.

“After 14 days of centralized isolation for medical observation, those whose nucleic acid test results are negative can be cleared from quarantine,” said Chang Juping, deputy director of the city’s health commission.

Chang said Shenzhen currently is expanding the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility in an orderly manner and will push forward with the vaccinations in accordance with national and Guangdong Province guidelines.

Shenzhen started administering COVID-19 vaccines among specific high-risk groups of people in late October 2020. As of Wednesday, the city had administered 2.09 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 1.44 million people.

The commission said it is not necessary for those who return to their hometown for ceremonial activities to provide nucleic acid test reports during the Qingming Festival, as the pandemic situation in the country remains stable and Guangdong is a low-risk area.

The Qingming Festival, or Tomb- Sweeping Day, falls on April 4 this year. It is an occasion for Chinese people to offer sacrifices to honor their ancestors and deceased family members.

As per the conference, four groups of people are not allowed to attend the festival’s ceremonial activities, they are: (1) persons who have stayed overseas (including Hong Kong and Taiwan) within 14 days upon arrival in the city; (2) persons who have stayed in medium- and high-risk areas in the country within 14 days; (3) close contacts who are cleared from isolation less than seven days after 14 days of isolation; and (4) persons with acute respiratory symptoms such as fever and cough.

Also at the press conference, Xiong Ying, head of the city’s civil affairs bureau, said real-name appointments are needed for graveyard or columbarium visits during the festival.