Shanghai relaxes COVID rules for travelers, close contacts
Locals line up for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at a regular sample collection kiosk in Shanghai on Wednesday.
Shanghai will further optimize its COVID-19 measures for domestic travelers and close contacts from Thursday following the relaxation of national policies.
For domestic travelers to Shanghai:
1. They are no longer required to register on the suishenban app or report to neighborhood committees, companies or hotels after arriving.
2. No polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is required upon their arrival. The previous requirement of three daily PCR tests has also been removed. Travelers failing to take a PCR test will no longer see their health code turn yellow.
3. Travelers will no longer be banned from entering a list of public places, including eateries, supermarkets and entertainment venues, for five days upon arrival.
For close contacts of infected persons:
1. Close contacts of infections can undergo a five-day home quarantine rather than a five-day central quarantine + three-day home quarantine, if their residences meet quarantine requirements. They can voluntarily opt for central quarantine.
2. The eligible close contacts undergoing central quarantine can be transferred home to finish the remaining quarantine period.
3. The close contacts without eligible home quarantine requirements still have to be in central quarantine.
