You could feel a ripple run through Beijing’s expat groups on Sunday as rumors trickled in about the alleged COVID cases in Sanya. Rumors circulated and now we know the truth: that two people who traveled from Xi’an to Hainan were in close contact with an asymptomatic patient. Our sister site the Beijinger goes into more detail, but here are the basics:
“Two passengers – Lei and Guan – who flew from Xian to Hainan on Dec 9 had been in close proximity to an asymptomatic coronavirus patient at an airport restaurant before their departure.
Subsequently, on Dec 11, 43 people who had been in close contact with Lei and Guan, including 29 folks in their tour group (other guests, tour guides, and drivers), and 12 individuals who ate at the same restaurants in Hainan, were promptly isolated and given nucleic acid tests. At the time of writing, all 43 people to have been tested, as well as Lei and Guan, turned up negative results. They are, however, still under quarantine….. That means anyone who intended on vacationing in “China’s Hawaii” in the near future can expect mitigation efforts and contact tracing to be ramped up, including ubiquitous health code and temperature checks, stringent mask policies, reduced capacity at popular tourist sites, and a strict appointment system for visiting those sites.
However, for the moment, the incident has yet to boost the city into the category of “Medium Risk,” the list of which is currently populated only by areas of Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Sichuan, and Xinjiang. At present, there are no designated high-risk areas in China.”
Given how quickly cases are found and contact tracing can occur now, this is the response we expect. The reason it caused a stir among international families is that when we all adjusted our winter plans to not leave China, everyone and their neighbor booked a trip to Sanya. Full disclosure, so did my family.
Murmurings of “is this a good idea?” were heard once schools began to release the knowns and unknowns about traveling outside of Beijing. This situation shows us how quickly a simple trip can escalate into a quarantine situation should the location or anywhere you travel through become a mid to high-risk area while you’re there.
Everyone needs to assess their own situation and decide if the hotel pool is worth it. Leaving Beijing can be a good way to clear your head and take a break, especially after such a turbulent year. Just balance the stress of staying versus all the unknowns if you leave. At the very least, your school will require a nucleic acid test when you return. If you’re in the wrong airport and tour group at the wrong time, however, you could be stuck in paradise — but in quarantine.
Should your family decide to risk it, you may want to pack a separate suitcase with all the work and school equipment you’ll need for those two weeks, as well as snacks and food that can be easily prepared in a hotel room that may only have a water kettle. It’s possible you’ll have better conditions, but best to be prepared for the worst.
Even if your travel location only turns into a medium risk area, some schools require a 14-day quarantine, quarantine release letter, and negative nucleic acid tests before students or staff can return to school. Others stated that no matter where you travel, if it is outside of Beijing then the students must present a clean Health Kit and negative nucleic acid tests within seven days of their return to school.
Those are the best-case scenarios when you or someone close to you hasn’t caught the virus. Every school has its own recommendations and requirements, and you must check with your own school office if it has not yet released all of its specifications. The cost of quarantine is another factor to consider. It’s doubtful your company or school will pay for it, and some schools have even stipulated in their emails to staff that any time in quarantine due to travel outside of Beijing is unpaid time off.
You can always change those plans and take a look around our city for cool staycation spots instead or get some books that will help your kids imagine they’re on a trip rather than setting your family up for a potential quarantine situation.
We throw around the term “new normal,” but there’s no denying that travel, even within the country, is and will continue to be a risky proposition for many more months if not years. In the end, every family makes their own decisions, but you can’t say you weren’t aware of the risks. Go into it with eyes fully open or cancel.
KEEP READING: Most Schools Suggest You Stay Put for Winter Break
Photos: Unsplash
