BREAKING: MORE COVID Travel Restrictions in 32 Regions!

On January 14, 2021, due to the increasingly severe domestic COVID-19 epidemic situation in China, to curb the spread of the virus, according to the Zhaoqing County Government of Heilongjiang Province, all returning/coming people from low-risk areas or medium-and-high-risk areas shall be subject to carry out a 21-day centralized quarantine and a 7-day home-based quarantine, as well as at least 3 times of nucleic acid detection, at their own expense.

Anti-Epidemic Measures Taken for Population Mobility 

However, not all regions have similarly harsh policies. In the upcoming Spring Festival, below are the responses from 31 local CDC of Chinese province/cities on whether the returnees need nucleic acid testing and centralized quarantine before/after arrival.

According to the Beijing CDC, people from medium-and-high-risk areas who come to Beijing need to undergo a 14-day quarantine in a centralized manner and be tested for the virus; In contrast, those who from low-risk areas shall register their personal information on the APP, called Jingxin Xiangzhu (京心相助), as well as contact their communities/units in advance.

Measures in Beijing

Based on the requirements of epidemic prevention and control in Tianjin, each personnel from low-risk areas shall hold the green health code of Tianjin, and report to his/her community/village with a normal body temperature before arriving. While those who come from the medium-and-high-risk areas are required to provide a negative certificate of nucleic acid test within 7 days and carry out a 14-day home-based quarantine.

Measures in Tianjin

Measures in Shanghai

As per the Shanghai CDC, people returning to Shanghai from or through high-risk areas of the domestic epidemic situation are required to be isolated for 14 days in a centralized manner and tested for nucleic acid twice; while those who from medium-risk areas shall undergo a 14-day community-based quarantine and conduct the nucleic acid detection twice, at the same time, he/she shall report to the local community ahead of time. Only a green health code is needed for a person returning/coming to Shanghai from low-risk areas.

Measures in Nanjing, Jiangsu

According to the Nanjing CDC, personnel from medium-and-high-risk areas shall undergo centralized isolation in Nanjing. If he/she is from non-medium-and-high-risk areas in the city of a local outbreak, such as the low-risk areas in Chaoyang District or Shunyi District of Beijing, he/she can flow normally with a negative certificate of COVID-19 within 7 days. People in other low-risk areas can walk freely when their body temperature is normal, together with a green health code.

Measures in Hangzhou, Zhejiang

Per the Hangzhou CDC, people from low-risk areas come to Hangzhou, they can pass normally with a green Hangzhou health code, while those from medium-risk areas, shall provide a negative report of the nucleic acid test within 7 days. As regards those from high-risk areas, 7-days dynamic monitoring is required, as well as report to the local community.

Measures in Guangzhou, Guangdong

Personnel from high-risk areas need to conduct a 14-day centralized quarantine and carry out the nucleic acid test of novel coronavirus on his/her 1st and 14th isolation. Those from medium-risk areas shall undergo the home-based quarantine according to the specific situation and be tested for the virus upon arrival. In contrast, persons from low-risk areas can travel freely with a green health code and take the initiative to report to the unit or community.

Measures in Shijiazhuang, Hebei

Starting from January 12th, 2021, according to the Hebei Provincial CDC, all residents and vehicles in Shijiazhuang are banned from leaving, with a 24-hour inspection.

Regarding the anti-epidemic regulations in Taiyuan, if people return to the city from low-risk areas in Hebei Province, he/she needs to provide the negative report of the nucleic acid test within 7 days and conduct a 14-day self-monitoring; while from other low-risk areas in China shall provide the green health code and report to the local urban areas in advance.

Measures in Taiyuan, Shanxi

The people returning from high-risk areas shall carry out 14-day centralized isolation and two nucleic acid tests; from medium-risk areas, a 14-day home-based quarantine and 2 nucleic acid tests are both required.

According to the local CDC, people who have been to Shijiazhuang and Xingtai after December 15, 2020, should not be allowed to enter the city. 

Measures in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia

As for the others, if someone coming from the high-risk areas shall be directly isolated, those from medium-risk areas need to provide the negative report of nucleic acid test and a green health code. While others from low-risk areas in China can travel freely with a green health code.

Measures in Shenyang, Liaoning

Per the Shenyang CDC, the whole city strictly implements the 14-day centralized isolation for visitors from high-risk areas. During the period, nucleic acid detection shall be conducted every three days. After the lifting of centralized quarantine, another 7-day community-based health monitoring is required.

In addition to the key-areas in Beijing, residents of other areas need to provide the negative report of the nucleic acid test within 7 days.

Measures in Changchun, Jilin

As per the local CDC, people need to report to the community and listen to community staff’s arrangement while returning to Changchun from low-risk areas. For people from medium-risk areas, a 14-day home-based quarantine is required, and he/she shall be tested for the COVID-19 virus three times.

As for those from high-risk areas, a 14-day centralized quarantine and a 7-day home-based quarantine is required. Simultaneously, those who do not have home isolation conditions shall carry out 21-day isolation in a centralized manner.

Measures in Harbin, Heilongjiang

Per the local government, personnel from low-risk areas who come to Harbin should hold the green health code and report to the community in advance. While those from the medium-and-high-risk areas shall undergo a 14-day centralized quarantine and 7-day home-based isolation. During this period, nucleic acid testing will be carried out 3 times.

Measures in Hefei, Anhui

People from high-risk areas need to undergo a 14-day centralized quarantine and conduct the nucleic acid tests twice; those who from medium-risk areas shall undergo the community-based centralized quarantine, and also two nucleic acid tests are required; people from low-risk areas needs to hold the negative certificate of the nucleic acid test within 3 days if there are local confirmed cases, and only a green health code is required without any locally confirmed cases.

Measures in Fuzhou, Fujian

According to the Fuzhou CDC, people from medium-and-high-risk areas are advised not to return to the city. If they return to their hometown, 14-day centralized isolation is needed. People from low-risk areas only need to provide a green health code while coming to Fuzhou.

Measures in Nanchang, Jiangxi

People in medium-and-high-risk areas need to travel with health code after registering in the Nanchang Fabu (南昌发布), and provide the negative certificate of the nucleic acid test within 7 days, then report to the local community in advance. A green health code is needed for people from low-risk areas, the local CDC announced. 

Measures in Jinan, Shandong

Per the local CDC, the policy of “2 + 1 + 7” is implemented for personnel from medium-and-high-risk areas in Jinan, that is, two nucleic acid tests with an interval of 24 hours; one serum antibody test; seven days of home-based health monitoring.

For people from the key epidemic areas other than medium-and-high-risk areas, nucleic acid testing shall be conducted once. The personnel who have left the key areas for more than 7 days and hold the negative report of the nucleic acid test within 7 days are exempt from double testing, while personnel from low-risk areas can travel freely with a green health code.

Measures in Zhengzhou, Henan

Personnel from the medium-and-high-risk areas entering Zhengzhou with a red health code and the anti-epidemic measures of “centralized isolation for 14 days + two nucleic acid tests + one serum test” should be implemented, and the expenses should be borne by themselves. In contrast, those from low-risk areas need to show the green health code, with no need for isolation or nucleic acid detection.

Measures in Wuhan, Hubei

According to the local government, the returning/coming people from medium-and-high-risk areas need to carry out the centralized quarantine for 14 days and being tested twice for nucleic acid and once for antibody. In contrast, those from low-risk areas should hold the negative certificate of the nucleic acid test within 7 days, as well as a normal body temperature, a green health code, and a communication itinerary card.

Measures in Changsha, Hunan

As per the local CDC, personnel from high-risk areas should be isolated in a centralized manner for 14 days and tested for nucleic acid twice; personnel in medium-risk areas with a negative certificate of the nucleic acid test within 7 days can travel normally; personnel in low-risk areas can travel freely with a green health code.

Measures in Nanning, Guangxi

Per the Nanning government, personnel from high-risk areas shall be subject to a 14-day centralized medical observation; while a 14-day home-based quarantine for persons from medium-risk areas; the personnel from low-risk areas without a history of living/traveling in medium-and-high-risk areas within 14 days can flow freely with a normal body temperature and a green health code.

Measures in Haikou, Hainan

According to the local CDC, personnel from high-risk areas shall carry out a 14-day centralized medical observation at their own expense. Personnel from medium-risk areas can pass with a valid negative report of the nucleic acid test within 7 days. Those without a nucleic acid test certificate shall be subject to centralized isolation. Simultaneously, only a temperature detection, health code check, and personal activity track query are required for personnel from low-risk areas.

Measures in Chongqing

Per the local CDC, those who come from medium-and-high-risk areas need to provide a negative certificate of the nucleic acid test within 7 days, a green health code, and a normal body temperature.

While those who from low-risk areas only need to provide a green health code to travel freely.

Measures in Chengdu, Sichuan

Regarding the anti-epidemic regulations in Chengdu, personnel from medium-and-high-risk areas shall carry out 14-day centralized isolation and two nucleic acid tests when they come to Chengdu. Personnel from low-risk areas such as Chaoyang and Shunyi District of Beijing need to provide a negative report of the COVID-19 test within 7 days. If personnel from other low-risk areas only need to hold the green health code and report to the local community.

Measures in Guiyang, Guizhou

As per the local CDC, for people from medium-and-high-risk areas, 14-day centralized isolation and another 14-day home-based isolation, as well as four nucleic acid tests, are required. Those from low-risk areas can travel freely with a green health code and a normal body temperature. However, if there are confirmed cases in the city, a nucleic acid test should be carried out, and no one is allowed to walk around without results.

Measures in Kunming, Yunnan

Per the local government, people from low-risk areas can normally pass with a green health code. Those who have a green health code or health certificate can normally pass for persons from medium-risk areas. Those who do not provide any certificate will only be released with a negative nucleic acid test.

The personnel from high-risk areas shall carry out the centralized observation for 14 days and the nucleic acid test twice.

Measures in Lhasa, Tibet

Per the Tibet local CDC, people from the medium-and-high-risk areas can flow freely, holding the green health code and the negative report of the nucleic acid test within 3 days. If anyone has a travel history in the risk areas, he/she shall be isolated. At the same time, those from low-risk areas should also hold the green health code and the negative report of the COVID-19 virus within 3 days before flowing freely under the premise of normal temperature measurement and good personal protection.

Measures in Xi’an, Shaanxi

Those from medium-and-high-risk areas shall report to the local community/village 3 days in advance and conduct 14-day centralized isolation and nucleic acid detection twice. In contrast, those from low-risk areas shall undergo a 14-day health monitoring, and at least one nucleic acid test shall be taken.

Measures in Lanzhou, Gansu

Per the local CDC, personnel from low-risk areas to Gansu can normally pass with a green health code. In contrast, personnel from medium-risk areas need to hold a negative certificate of the nucleic acid test within 3 days and carry out 14-day home-based isolation. While people from high-risk areas shall undergo the centralized quarantine for 14 days; and at least two nucleic acid tests are needed during isolation.

Measures in Xining, Qinghai

Per the local CDC, personnel from the low-risk areas but with a traveling history in the medium-and-high-risk areas, or those who come from the medium-and-high-risk areas, shall provide a green health code and a negative report of the nucleic acid test within 7 days. After arriving in Xining, they need to take the initiative to report to the community or hotel and cooperate with isolation for 14 days.

Measures in Yinchuan, Ningxia

According to the local government, personnel from medium-and-high-risk areas should strictly be checked with the negative certificate of the nucleic acid test within 3 days, as well as a 7-day home-based health monitoring and 2 nucleic acid tests are required, while those from the low-risk areas can normally travel with the green health code.

Measures in Urumqi, Xinjiang

Per the local CDC, those who return to Urumqi from Hebei and Liaoning need to be isolated; those who return to Urumqi from Beijing need to carry out the nucleic acid testing upon arrival. People who have a history of traveling in the Shunyi district should be isolated in a centralized manner. Besides, people from other cities in the epidemic areas of Heilongjiang or Manzhouli also need to be isolated. In addition to the above-mentioned areas, people in other areas can normally pass with a green health code. At the same time, it is better to prepare the nucleic acid test certificate within 7 days.

Information and Notification

With the dynamic changes of the epidemic situation, the requirements of provinces/cities could also be changed. 

If people have a Tibet travel plan, he/she can call the local mayor’s hotline (area code + 12345) or epidemic prevention command center (area code + 12320) in advance to confirm the latest anti-epidemic measures.