Shanghai relaxes quarantine for travelers from Hainan

Imaginechina

Shanghai on Sunday announced that it is relaxing its quarantine policy for travelers from south China's Hainan Province, which is being afflicted by a COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

Travelers from Hainan will have to undergo a three-day home quarantine and another four days of health monitoring after arriving in Shanghai, rather than the earlier three-day central quarantine plus a four-day home quarantine, according to the Shanghai Health Commission.

After arrival, each traveler will be sent to a temporary quarantine site to receive a nucleic acid test. If the results are negative, they will be transported to their local accommodation under a "closed-loop," said Zhao Dandan, deputy director of the commission.

They will receive a daily polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test during the home quarantine and another two tests during the health monitoring period. Sample collection staff will offer door-to-door services, he added.

The returnees and people living with them are not allowed to go out during the home quarantine or entertain visitors. People without eligible accommodation for a home quarantine must still undergo a three-day central quarantine.

The new policy applies to travelers arriving in Shanghai after Monday noon, Zhao noted. People returning to the city before Monday still have to finish their three-day central quarantine. The accommodation and food are free during the central quarantine.

Shanghai has arranged 30 flights to pick up more than 5,000 local travelers stranded in Hainan back to the city, he revealed.

Hainan has reported 7,736 COVID-19 infections, including 6,927 in the coastal tourism city of Sanya, since the outbreak, fueled by the Omicron BA.5.1.3 sub-lineage, started across the island province on August 1.

Shanghai has also updated its quarantine policy for travelers from other domestic COVID-19-related regions.

A weeklong central quarantine is mandatory for people coming or returning from domestic COVID-19 high-risk areas, while a week of home quarantine is required for those from medium-risk areas.

People from low-risk areas are asked to conduct two PCR tests within three days after arrival.

Besides, those from domestic regions, where a lockdown is in force, or key regions which have rapid COVID-19 transmission or any COVID-19 case that has spread to Shanghai, must also undergo the weeklong central quarantine.