The local government of Shijiazhuang, the provincial capital of China's Hebei Province, said on Monday that the city will not require mandatory nucleic acid testing for all, but only for priority populations and key groups. Designed in accordance with the recently released 20 measures to optimize COVID-19 response, local officials stressed that such change is the further optimization and adjustment of epidemic prevention and control measures, rather than so-called full relaxation.
The announcement came after some local residents said on social media platforms that some public places in Shijiazhuang have stopped checking nucleic acid certificates, asking whether it is a sign of “full relaxation” or “lying flat” in the fight against the epidemic as the province still saw five new COVID-19 cases, including three in Shijiazhuang, and 684 asymptomatic infections, including 541 in Shijiazhuang, on Sunday.
On Monday morning, Zhang Chaochao, the city’s Party Chief, visited Hebei Normal University to check the epidemic prevention and control work. Zhang said that the further optimization and adjustment of epidemic prevention and control measures is a concrete action to implement the recently released 20 measures to optimize COVID-19 response.
It is by no means “lying flat” or ignoring the situation, nor is it the so-called full relaxation. It is to further make the prevention and control work more scientific and accurate, resolutely control those that should be controlled, and let go of those that should be, and preventing one-size-fits-all approach, Zhang said.
Shijiazhuang public transportation and subway officials said 72-hour negative nucleic acid tests are still required for people to take buses and subways in the city.
People from low-risk areas and other places returning to Shijiazhuang still need to obtain 48-hour negative nucleic acid test and can return home after reporting to local community in advance. Those who want to leave the city are also required to have a 48-hour negative nucleic acid testing report.
