CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- The National Day holiday is approaching. During the 125th press conference on the prevention and control of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Chongqing on September 27, the head of Chongqing Health Commission, Chongqing Bureau of Transportation, Chongqing Culture and Tourism Commission, Chongqing Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other departments have answered the questions of citizens’ concern about travel on the National Day holiday. Citizens are advised not to leave the city for nonessential travel and to take a city tour, a short trip or a trip around the city.

Not to leave Chongqing for nonessential travel, and those arriving at or leaving Chongqing should provide nucleic acid test results taken within 48 hours

The epidemic situation is generally stable, but the new outbreaks occurred in other domestic areas frequently. New clusters outbreak of COVID-19 have been reported in our neighboring cities and in the last week, cases imported from other cities have been reported for 5 days in these areas. They are under great pressure from the prevention of both imported cases and spread within the city, said Li Pan.

He advised that the citizens should not leave Chongqing during the National Day holiday unless it is necessary, and he advocated a short city tour, a short trip or a trip around the city. If the citizens need to leave Chongqing, they should report to their workplace and villages (communities) before leaving Chongqing, and hold a negative nucleic acid result taken within 48 hours.

All people coming or returning to Chongqing are required to provide a negative nucleic acid result taken within 48 hours, and stringently carry out the “4 immediate requirements”: immediately scan “Ruyu Codes”, check “Yukang Codes”, itinerary codes and nucleic acid results, complete declaration of health information, receive a nucleic acid test, and implement self-health management measures upon arrival in Chongqing.

For people coming or returning to Chongqing from key epidemic-stricken areas, they should be stringently placed under centralized isolation or quarantine at home, and complete 2 nucleic acid test within 3 days. The measure of “2 tests within 3 days” requires the travelers to complete 2 nucleic acid tests at a 24-hour interval within 3 days; before the results of the 2 tests are released, they should stay at home and avoid events with gatherings, public transportation, and crowded public places.

Jin Ling, deputy director of Chongqing Education Commission, also advised all teachers, students and staff do not leave Chongqing on the National Day holiday unless necessary; she advocated city tours, short trips, and trips around the city, and urged citizens to keep a good physical protection during the travel. For those who really need to leave Chongqing, they have to inform the school in advance, and strictly implement the “4 immediate measures” and other relevant health management measures required by the local community or school after returning to the school in Chongqing. For those visited by friends, relatives or classmates coming from other cities during the National Day holiday, they should remind them to comply with the relevant regulations on traveling to Chongqing and keep a good physical protection.

A nucleic acid test result taken within 72 hours is necessary before visiting a scenic spot or exhibition, or staying in a hotel

During the National Day holiday, what should be paid attention to when entering a scenic spot, a cinema or other cultural tourism venues in Chongqing?

Qin Dingbo, deputy director of Chongqing Culture and Tourism Commission, said that before and after National Day holiday, in accordance with the State Council’s mechanism on joint prevention and control of COVID-19 and the relevant requirements of the ministry of culture and tourism as well as the leading group of epidemic prevention and control, “circuit-breakers” should be implemented by stringently suspending cross-provincial group travel in and from medium- and high-risk areas and “airline tickets + hotels” travel services served by travel agencies and online tourism enterprises. Additionally, requirements of “limited supply, appointment, and off-peak travel” should be implemented. The citizens should visit the website or the official WeChat account of the tourist attraction to learn about the relevant requirements before making reasonable arrangements for the trip.

Before being allowed to enter scenic spots, hotels, public libraries, cultural centers, art museums and other public cultural venues, the citizens have to scan the specific “venue code”, have their health codes, itinerary codes and temperatures checked, provide a nucleic acid test result taken within 72 hours and wear a mask on. Significantly, in addition to the above requirements, a nucleic acid test result taken within 48 hours is required before entering theaters and other venues.

Those refusing to wear a mask properly or cooperate in temperature measurement during the epidemic are suspected of violating the law

At the press conference, Li Baisong, deputy director of the CDC, introduced the laws and regulations concerning epidemic prevention and control that citizens should follow.

The citizens in the following situations may be suspected of violating the Law of the People's Republic of China on Penalties for Administration of Public Security: those who do not accept the advice of management personnel in public places, such as refusing to wear masks properly and have their temperatures and codes checked; those with yellow or red codes who refuse to have a quarantine at home or a centralized medical observation required by the relevant regulations; those who violate the regulations by participating events with gatherings in disregard of dissuasion during the epidemic; those refuse to complete nucleic acid testing that are required; those who fail to declare their health information in a timely manner or give false information that hinders the management personnel’s work.

Meanwhile, Ma Ranxi, vice minister of Chongqing propaganda ministry, reminded the public that the phone number “96007” is the community’s phone number for epidemic prevention and control in Chongqing, and you should answer the phone at the first time when receiving the call, and call back if you miss it. (Translated by Cai Xinyu, Fathom Language Limited)