That's one for the books: Reading festival kicks off on Friday

The 2022 Shanghai Book Fair will kick off on Friday, November 18, at the Shanghai Exhibition Center but on a smaller scale due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic resurgence in China.

The city's annual reading festival, which was delayed last year due to COVID-19, returns and is scheduled to be held on November 18-22.

Entry is free but visitors need to register online in advance with their real names and with pandemic prevention information, no matter adult or child.

Local residents can do real-name registration on the fair's WeChat mini application 我爱读书我爱生活 and upload the screenshots of their travel code, nucleic acid report and some other required information.

They have to take nucleic acid tests twice in three days before entry and carry a 24-hour negative nucleic acid test result with them.

They also need to bring the identity card and wear a KN95 or N95 mask when they are inside.

Those traveling to Shanghai for the fair also need to do real-name registration on the application but must take nucleic acid tests every day for three days before entering the venue.

A 24-hour negative nucleic acid test result, identity card and KN95 or N95 mask are required as well.

People who have been to high-, medium- or low-risk COVID-19 areas, or some other areas related to the coronavirus will be denied entry, along with those under self-quarantine or those showing symptoms like cough or fever.

The daytime opening hours for the fair are from 9am to 5pm but people are not allowed to enter after 4:30pm, while the night opening hours will be from 6pm to 9pm with no entry after 8:30pm.