Beijing tightens curbs for upcoming Spring Festival

Beijing, Jan 28 (IANS) Authorities in Beijing have tightened Covid-19 restrictions in the Chinese capital in the wake of the upcoming Spring Festival, including the requirement of more nucleic acid tests, the municipal government said.Between Thursday to March 15, travellers from low-risk domestic areas must provide negative nucleic acid results within seven days before arrival, and they must receive nucleic acid tests one week and two weeks after settling in Beijing, said Xu Hejian, the city government spokesperson.The Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, falls on February 12 this year.The capital city is declining entry to those from medium and high-risk domestic areas, while those entering the Chinese mainland via other cities must wait for 21 days before visiting Beijing, Xinhua news agency quoted Xu as saying at a press conference.The tightened entry rules come as increased travels around the Spring Festival, the most important homecoming occasion in China, added complications to Beijing's anti-virus efforts, the official added.The municipal government on Wednesday also renewed calls for residents to avoid outbound travels during the festival to minimise infection risks and promised to offer shopping coupons and free data packages to those who choose to stay put.Beijing reported four new locally transmitted confirmed Covid-19 cases and one asymptomatic infection on Tuesday, the municipal health commission said. It added that all of the confirmed cases occurred in a residential community in Daxing District, where cluster cases had emerged lately.
--IANS ksk/