Stricter measures to prevent city infections
A staff member shows a customer how to use an infrared body thermometer at the entrance of a wet market in Bansongyuan Road Subdistrict of Huangpu District on Wednesday.
Shanghai's supermarkets, catering businesses and office buildings are taking stricter measures to prevent gatherings and the spread of coronavirus.
The city’s shopping malls have also tightened their coronavirus prevention and control measures.
At the Cloud Nine Shopping Mall in Changning District, everyone must have their temperature checked by infrared thermometers before entry and staff have been told to wear masks, said Li Jiajun, the mall’s executive director.
Diners have their temperature checked at the Sunya Cantonese Restaurant on Wednesday.
Customers arriving by car will also have their temperatures checked by security staff using hand-held sensors.
“If the car’s license plate indicates north China, where some areas have become COVID-19 hotspots recently, the driver will be required to leave visitors’ names, license plate number and entry time in case of emergency tracking,” Li said.
“In the past months when the pandemic was well contained in China, some people without masks were allowed to come in,” Li said. “But recently measures to curb COVID-19's spread have been strengthened.”
Reminders about wearing masks are broadcast, but some visitors are seen taking off their masks in the shopping mall, especially after finishing their meals, Li said.
A woman helps a fellow customer with how to show her health QR code at the entrance of the Global Harbor shopping mall in Putuo District on Wednesday.
Some companies in the mall, such as Spanish retailer Zara and supermarket chain Carrefour, have their own strict measures such as checking health QR codes and taking visitors' temperatures a second time.
A notice about wearing masks was seen at the Global Harbor shopping mall in Putuo District on Wednesday, next to a board with the information on China’s latest high- and medium-risk zones.
A staff member, surnamed Ma, is in charge of checking health QR codes at the entrance of the mall.
Measures in some wet markets have also been tightened. A market in Bansongyuan Road Subdistrict in Huangpu District has an infrared body thermometer at the entrance and two staff members show customers how to use the machine and ask them to wear masks before they enter.
“Yesterday a senior citizen argued with us because he refused to wear a mask,” a staff member surnamed Zhang said. “But the majority of consumers understand the stricter measures.”
Sunya Cantonese Restaurant requires all diners to present their health QR code and register before they enter.
Restaurants have also enhanced coronavirus prevention and control efforts.
At the Sunya Cantonese Restaurant on Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall, all diners are required to have their temperature checked and present their health QR code before entry.
They also need to register their name and contact details.
"We ask them to keep one-meter distance while waiting, and we have increased the frequency of disinfection with even the menus disinfected," said Zhu Hong, Sunya's deputy executive chef.
"We also remind diners to finish meals in two hours," he added.
"Diners are suggested to make payment online and avoid using cash to prevent contact," said Zhu.
Diners were seen waiting patiently and cooperating with the upgraded measures on Wednesday.
"It is quite understandable because it is for our safety," said Xu Li. "I have taught my parents how to make payment online to avoid contact."
Zhu added: ”Cold-chain foods are disinfected and staff handling cold-storage meat should wear protective clothing and glasses during food operation.”
A staff member checks a driver's temperature with a hand-held device before the visitor enters the Cloud Nine Shopping Mall in Changning District on Wednesday.
Xing Hua Lou in Huangpu District, which dates back to 1851, is asking its customers to stay one-meter apart when buying prepared food.
They also need to have their temperatures checked and present their health QR codes before entry.
Thorough disinfection is conducted throughout the restaurant every hour.
Alibaba's online and offline grocery chain Freshippo has required nucleic acid tests for all import fresh food products since April last year. Since August, consumers have been able to track the test reports as well as the import dates, vehicles used and places of origin.
Gloves and disinfectant are also ready for use at frozen food counters.
Walmart said it has been testing and disinfecting all its imported frozen food.
Cashiers, cleaning staff and those handling fresh food are required to wear plastic gloves.
Regular cleaning and disinfection is carried on shopping carts, elevators, toilets and self-service check-out facilities.
At Suning's department stores and home appliances outlets, shoppers also have to show their health codes and have their temperatures taken.
Two notices on wearing masks and showing health QR codes, and with the latest information on China's high and middle-risk zones at the entrance of the Global Harbor shopping mall in Putuo District.
HKRI Taikoo Hui, a commercial complex in Jing'an District, has tightened its anti-epidemic measures at its two Grade A office buildings.
From this week, office tenants in the two buildings are required to make reservations in advance for visitors who are also asked to fill out a form to include visitors’ names, gender, mobile phone numbers, the name and address of the company they plan to visit, time of arrival, as well as whether the visitor has left the country or traveled to any high- or medium-risk area in the past two weeks.
Anyone failing to fill out the online form is denied entry and everyone entering either building is required to wear a mask, has temperature taken and show a green QR health code.
