This is far from being the latest news about Covid prevention in Beijing, but it’s worth a reminder. Recently a friend found herself in a predicament after her Health Kit suddenly had a new pop-up message, saying she’s either been to a high-risk area or has purchased medication.
So this is what happened.
Her daughter was feeling under the weather, and knowing exactly what medication will treat it, she ordered a Traditional Chinese Medicine cold remedy on Meituan delivery – a box of children’s paracetamol to be exact. Like with food, Meituan will also send delivery guys to pick up over-the-counter (OTC) medication from local pharmacies, and within minutes the medicine gets delivered right to your door. It’s been most people’s convenient quick fix for years.. that is until now.
That’s because current Covid regulations require you to take a nucleic acid test before purchasing OTC cold medicine as well as any medication that is considered applicable to Covid symptoms.
Purchasing them without a negative nucleic acid test is now illegal at pharmacies and doing so on a delivery app, although still possible, will result in the change to your Health Kit. And unfortunately, the pop-up on your Health Kit is enough to prevent you from entering hotels or public buildings.
To get your Health Kit back to normal, you must contact your local community center where you’ll be asked to take two nucleic acid tests. Following two negative test results, the local community will be able to help reset your Health Kit to normal.
Should it happen while you’re a guest in a hotel, it’s the duty of the hotel to contact the Cultural & Tourism Bureau to help get your Health Kit back to normal.
KEEP READING: Quarantine Advice Hints That Families Won’t Be Separated
Images: Victoria Yang, Pexels
