Senior citizen homes reopen for visitors

Visits to senior homes in the city can resume from Monday with COVID-19 waning, local civil affairs authorities announced on Sunday.

Direct kin and guardians of seniors are allowed into senior homes if they have not left Shanghai over the past month. They need to present their health QR code and movement code for entry, according to the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.

Reservations are required, and the number of visits and allowed routes and areas will depend on the capacity of senior homes.

Elderly residents who leave senior homes for medical treatment or other affairs need to present negative nucleic acid test reports within seven days at their accommodation.

The same requirement applies to new senior residents and new employees to senior homes.

Community-based senior service centers, daycare centers, canteens serving seniors and senior activity centers can resume normal operation from Monday as well. They have been ordered to take strict epidemic prevention and control measures such as regular disinfection and frequent ventilation.

All visits to the city's senior homes were suspended on January 21 as authorities tightened epidemic prevention measures.