Beijing has upgraded its emergency response from level three to level two, effective 16 June. Chen Bei, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Government, announced the decision at the 121st press briefing on the city’s COVID-19 response on the evening of 16 June, citing the grave situation caused by the double-digit daily increase in newly reported COVID-19 cases related to Xinfadi Wholesale Market since 11 June. Under the guidance of the National Health Commission’s expert team, and based on assessment of the situation and consideration by the Beijing Leading Group on COVID-19 Response, Beijing made the decision in accordance with due approval procedures.

After reinstituting level-two response, Beijing will stay committed to preventing both case importation and domestic transmission and ensure timely detection, prompt handling, targeted management and effective treatment. Efforts will be made to prevent any letup, loophole, or rebound in cases, ensure early detection, reporting, quarantine and treatment, and rigorously enforce control measures in nine particular aspects. Beijing will stay alert for the worst-case scenarios and take the most resolute, decisive and rigorous actions to enforce science-based, targeted and effective containment and stop the spread of the disease.

The above-mentioned control measures in nine particular aspects are as follows:

Restrictive protocols and health monitoring in residential communities;

Temperature checks and verification of Beijing Health Kit Code in public facilities, including temperature screening on public transport;

Cross-city travel restrictions, under which overseas returnees to Beijing must undergo medical observation at designated places and receive nucleic acid testing (NAT), and residents from medium- and high-risk areas and villages or those related to the Xinfadi Market will not be allowed to leave Beijing;

Containment measures for high-risk persons such as fever patients;

Containment measures in health and medical institutions and prevention of hospital-acquired infection;

Full coverage of NAT for key groups and voluntary applicants;

Containment measures at farm produce markets, restaurants, canteens and other key venues;

Strict accountability of local authorities, line departments, employers and individuals, including health conditions reporting by individuals and employers;

Good personal hygiene, under which people are encouraged to wash hands and air rooms frequently, wear masks, and avoid gathering.

Beijing will also strengthen containment efforts in the following areas:

Residents from medium- and high-risk areas or people related to the Xinfadi Market will not be allowed to leave Beijing. Others should avoid unnecessary trips out of Beijing. Those who have to leave Beijing must present NAT-negative health certificates issued within the last seven days;

Restrictive protocols will be reinstalled in communities, under which entry is allowed after taking body temperature, verifying entry pass and Beijing Health Kit Code, and leaving contact information;

Non-residents and their vehicles will not be allowed to enter residential communities and villages in medium- and high-risk areas;

Residential communities and villages in high-risk areas will be put under lockdown, where all residents will be denied exit and subject to home observation and NAT;

Restrictions on maximum public transport loads will be tightened;

Online courses will be restored for students in all grades, and college students shall stop returning to school;

Meetings of up to 100 people and video conferences may be convened with strict containment measures in place;

Exhibitions, sports games and performances will be suspended.