At least 19 cities across China scrapped negative nucleic acid test results as a requirement for riding public transport as of Monday, part of the country’s broader efforts to further optimize COVID-19 response in order to gradually resume social and economic activities.
Cities including Chengdu in Southwest China’s Sichuan, North China’s Tianjin, Beijing, Shenzhen in South China’s Guangdong, Shanghai and Wuhan in Central China’s Hubei, announced that local subways will no longer check passengers’ nucleic acid test results, according to media reports.
More than 10 cities and regions in East China’s Zhejiang ended regular mass testing, and local residents in cities like Hangzhou and Ningbo do not need to scan their nucleic acid codes or QR codes in public places, except in special locations such as elder care centers, kindergartens, primary and middle schools.
In Shenzhen, a city dubbed as China’s Silicon Valley, local residents do not need to present their negative nucleic acid test results to their communities, offices, restaurants and supermarkets. They only need to scan their health code and location QR code for entry.
Shenyang, capital city of Northeast China’s Liaoning, issued a similar notice on Monday, allowing some public places such as bathing centers, massage facilities and beauty salons and entertainment halls to gradually open for business.
Shanghai continued optimizing its epidemic control measures on Monday by scrapping negative nucleic acid test results for public places except for special locations such as elder care centers, schools and restaurants as well as entertainment centers starting on Tuesday.
