Nucleic acid certification requirements have been abolished in many places in China

China has taken strict measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak. In some cities, people are required to have a negative nucleic acid test before entering public places or taking public transport. More recently, the cancellation of nucleic acid certification, the public applauded. Earlier, China’s Health Commission urged local governments to follow “nine prohibitions” on epidemic prevention, including no extension of control time in medium-high risk areas and containment areas, and no isolation of eligible college students returning home.

China has broken a one-size-fits-all rule, abolishing nucleic acid certification requirements in many places, the Central News Agency reported today. According to the report, based on information from Jianguian News and several official wechat accounts, nucleic acid certification tests have been cancelled in many places in China recently, and quarantine requirements for the movement of people in low-risk areas have been adjusted dynamically. In some cases, negative nucleic acid certificates will no longer be checked.

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to ease in the Chinese capital, authorities further relaxed control measures this week, opening restaurants and resuming public transport in most parts of the city today and allowing primary and secondary school students to return to school next week.

Beijing reported 17 new local COVID-19 cases the day before and five new cases as of 3 PM yesterday, all of whom are under quarantine, indicating that the city is continuing its “social zero-out” policy. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 1,822 since the outbreak began on April 22.

The Beijing municipal government announced yesterday to adjust the prevention and control measures at different levels. In addition to Fengtai and Changping districts, where new cases have been reported, public transportation has been resumed in other areas of the city, home and office areas have been adjusted to work as normal, and restaurant operators have opened up restaurant services.

In addition to senior three students who have been allowed to return to school, students of other grades in Beijing’s primary and secondary schools can return to school from Next Monday (13th), and kindergarten children from June 20. Express delivery and takeaway service personnel can enter the community. All kinds of scenic spots, scenic spots, parks, cinemas, art galleries, gyms and other indoor places are restricted by 75%.
The Palace Museum will reopen tomorrow after being closed for nearly a month. Like Post-lockdown Shanghai, Beijing has extended the time limit for negative nucleic acid tests to enter public places and take public buses from 48 hours to 72 hours.

Mi Feng, spokesman for the NHC and deputy director of the publicity Department of the NHC, said at a press conference under the Joint prevention and control mechanism of The State Council on Thursday that the epidemic prevention and control situation has been improving. “All prevention and control measures should be implemented in a scientific and precise way, and people in low-risk areas should not be arbitrarily extended or restricted. We must resolutely prevent simplification, one-size-fits-all, and layering on layers of code.”

According to the Central News Agency, the cancellation of nucleic acid certification in many places has been applauded by the public, pointing out that only by breaking the one-size-fits-all rule can the economy have a chance to recover. Critics point out that nucleic acid testing is also required in low-risk areas, which poses a big obstacle to people’s normal life. In some places, nucleic acid tests are required even when there are no infected cases. This is a waste of time and money. “The regulations should have been loosened long ago.”