Areas of Hebei, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Henan, and Ningxia provinces, as well as Inner Mongolia and Beijing announced that they entered “wartime” mode over the weekend due to surges in COVID-19 cases.
“Wartime” mode typically means that restrictions are placed on when residents can leave their homes, and almost all public facilities, such as schools, stores, stadiums, and parks, are closed.
A spokesperson for the Beijing city government Xu Hejian said at a press conference on Jan. 8: “At present, diagnosed patients and cluster outbreaks are happening all around the country.”
Tight Control
The central government advised against travel for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, which falls on Feb. 12 this year. Millions usually make trips to their hometowns to reunite with their families.
Over the weekend, city governments across the country also announced a new rule requiring those who wish to travel during the holiday to get prior approval from their employers.
For example, Meizhou city in Guangdong Province issued a notice on Jan. 8: “All staff and workers in the city’s government departments, state-run enterprises, and private companies should not leave Meizhou city for Lunar New Year… If you really need to leave, you must get approved from the management team of the company/department.”
Shijiazhuang
Meanwhile, Shijiazhuang, a city of 11 million in northern China, continued to see new infections amid a severe outbreak.
At a Sunday press conference organized by the city government, officials ruled that all residents must take a second nucleic acid test for COVID-19 in the next two days, and that all residents cannot leave their homes for another seven days. Only couriers and medical staff who have a special pass can travel on the streets freely. Last week, the city entered lockdown.