Notice on strengthening COVID-19 measures in Guangzhou (No 28)

GZFAO Updated: November 18, 2021

At the moment, the COVID-19 situation remains grim and complex overseas, and many Chinese provinces and cities have seen sporadic local outbreaks, which poses daunting challenges to our efforts in preventing inbound cases and domestic resurgences. 

To consolidate our control and prevention work and protect the health and safety of the public, tighter epidemic measures will be enforced as follows:

1. Continue to prevent inbound cases. Measures will be tightened on the closed-loop management and seamless point-to-point transfer of overseas passengers. Those traveling from overseas with Guangzhou as their final destination shall undergo "14 days of centralized quarantine + seven days of home quarantine + seven days of self-health monitoring." They should take a free PCR test at hospitals by presenting their certificate of quarantine completion on the 23rd and 28th days after entering China.

2. Tighten health management of passengers visiting, moving or returning to Guangzhou. 

Those traveling from high-risk areas shall go through "14 days of centralized quarantine" (starting from the time of departure from the city, league, prefecture, or district of a centrally-administrated municipality, similarly hereinafter), and take a PCR test on the first, fourth, seventh, 10th, and 14th days upon arrival.

Those from middle-risk areas (or regions subject to the same management methods as middle-risk areas) shall undergo "14 days of home quarantine," and take a PCR test on the first, fourth, seventh, 10th, and 14th days upon arrival. 

Those from cities (leagues, prefectures, or districts of centrally-administrated municipalities) where any high-risk areas (or regions subject to the same management methods as high-risk areas) are located shall undergo "seven days of home quarantine + seven days of home self-health monitoring," and take a PCR test on the first, third, seventh, 10th, and 14th days upon arrival. 

Those from cities (leagues, prefectures, or districts of centrally-administrated municipalities) with reported local cases shall undergo two PCR tests (24 hours apart) within three days and "14 days of home self-health monitoring," and take a test on the seventh and 14th days upon arrival.

Those from provinces (autonomous regions or centrally-administrated municipalities) with reported local cases shall take a PCR test at the airport, train station, or a nearby testing site within 24 hours upon arrival. Those from other provinces (autonomous regions or centrally-administrated municipalities) shall take a test within 48 hours upon their arrival in Guangzhou.

3. Strengthen home health management. During the home health monitoring period, people should keep good track of their health by checking their temperature every day and taking COVID tests as required. You should avoid crowds and social gatherings, and practice personal safety measures by wearing a mask at all times and frequently sanitizing your hands when going out. If you experience any abnormal symptoms such as a fever, dry cough, and a decreased sense of smell and taste, please go to a designated hospital for testing immediately.

4. Strengthen personal protection and travel history reporting. People should continue their daily safety protocols, refrain from social gatherings as much as possible, and avoid staying in an ill-ventilated space for long periods of time. Healthy practices such as wearing masks, washing hands frequently, maintaining good ventilation, and keeping a safe social distance should continue as proper safety measures. People must follow control and prevention requirements such as temperature checks and display health codes when visiting places outside their homes. Do not leave the province for non-essential reasons, and avoid going to medium- and high-risk areas or anywhere with reported local cases. Please stay updated with the epidemic dynamics in China. If you have been to places where a COVID-19 case has been reported, or have traveled to any provinces (autonomous regions or centrally-administrated municipalities) with any reported cases, you must report the relevant information to your neighborhood committee (village) or residential community, employer, or hotel within 12 hours, and cooperate with the health management measures. If you feel unwell, please go to the hospital immediately and inform the medical staff of your travel history.

5. Strengthen the control and prevention measures of key places. Cinemas, chess and card rooms, amusement halls, internet cafes, gyms, stadiums, shopping malls, supermarkets, and other confined or half-confined places shall strengthen their efforts in keeping the public areas clean, well-ventilated, and properly disinfected. Special staff are assigned to be stationed at entrances to take temperatures and check health codes of the visitors, and remind them to scan the travel code and wear a mask.

6. Tighten the control and prevention measures at transport hubs. People taking the metro or buses must take their temperatures before boarding public transportation, show their health code, and wear masks. At Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and railway stations such as Guangzhou Railway Station, Guangzhou East Railway Station, Guangzhou South Railway Station, and Guangzhou North Railway Station, Qingsheng Station and Xintang Station, passengers taking taxis or online car-hailing services must show their codes and wear masks. People who are not "Green Code" holders are not allowed to take public transportation. Staff should also practice personal protection at all times.

The above control and prevention measures are adjusted on an on-going basis based on risk assessments. This notice will be implemented from the time it is issued.

Guangzhou COVID-19 Control and Prevention Command Center

Nov 15, 2021