China: in Beijing, three PCR tests required each week for May 1st holidays

A worker in charge of Covid-19 disinfection crosses a street in Beijing, April 27, 2022. © Carlos Garcia Rawlins / Reuters

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

The Labor Day holiday begins on Saturday, April 30 in China.

But these will be limited holidays because more than 70 megalopolises are confined or semi-confined due to an explosion of Covid-19 contaminations.

While in Beijing, residents must present a negative test within 48 hours to go to public places, authorities expect a dizzying drop in travellers.

Advertisement

Read more

With our correspondent in Beijing,

The call of the PCRs from the megaphones of the health brigades is heard on the sidewalks of Beijing.

For the past week, the 22 million inhabitants of the Chinese capital have been subjected to a

 : a Covid-19 test every two days, which will therefore have to be continued during the holidays, in order to be able to access the parks, tourist places and hotels.

A negative test of less than 48 hours will also be required

, if the latter reopen in five days.

New creed of the “zero Covid” strategy

This rule of three tests per week to be able to move has also been put in place in cities emerging from confinement, such as Changchun, in the northeast of the country.

Three or nothing tests or the new creed of the “zero Covid” strategy in China: anyone traveling to the capital will be tested on arrival, then again 24 hours and 72 hours later, authorities have announced.

With the

, few Chinese will travel this weekend.

The Ministry of Transport predicts a 62% drop in the number of travelers for these May 1 holidays.

► 

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

• China

• Coronavirus

• Confinement