COVID-19 Emergency Ahead of Beijing 6th Plenary Session in China

Elementary School Children in Close Contact with Confirmed Cases Isolated Away from Parents
Emergency Declared in Shijiazhuang, Capital of Hebei Province near Beijing

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] As the Chinese Communist Party's "19th Central Committee 6th Plenary Session (6th Plenum)" approaches, COVID-19 cases have been consecutively confirmed in the capital Beijing, causing Chinese epidemic prevention authorities to be on high alert. This 6th Plenum is a meeting to summarize the achievements and historical experiences of the Chinese Communist Party's 100 years and to establish the legitimacy of President Xi Jinping's re-election. Since the spread of COVID-19 throughout Beijing could diminish the significance of the 6th Plenum, epidemic prevention measures are expected to be further strengthened.

According to the Chinese National Health Commission and others on the 3rd, since the first COVID-19 infection was confirmed in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on the 16th of last month, a total of 35 locally transmitted cases (including 2 asymptomatic) have been reported in Beijing.

Photo by China Weibo capture

On the 1st, the entire Chaoyang District was thrown into turmoil after a Chinese teacher at an elementary school in the Korean-dense area tested positive. Epidemic prevention authorities conducted nucleic acid tests on all faculty and students, and in the early hours of the 2nd, faculty and students classified as close contacts were moved to quarantine facilities. A middle school attended by the teacher's child was also locked down, and 16 schools in parts of Chaoyang District temporarily closed. Videos showing children being moved to quarantine locations spread, plunging all of Beijing into confusion.

Since Beijing had been a "zero COVID" city with almost no confirmed cases, the citizens of Beijing showed clear signs of distress. Moving elementary school children to separate facilities for quarantine instead of home isolation indicates how tense the Chinese epidemic prevention authorities are.

Beijing epidemic prevention authorities announced that nucleic acid tests would be conducted on all faculty and students of schools in the affected area. Additionally, the flu vaccinations scheduled for students this week have been temporarily postponed.

Photo by China Weibo capture

Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province adjacent to Beijing, declared a state of emergency the previous day and locked down two areas, Jinzhou and Xuanxian. So far, 12 confirmed cases have been reported in Shijiazhuang. Hebei Province surrounds Beijing.

A source in Beijing said, "Chinese authorities, judging that the 6th Plenum, the Beijing Winter Olympics, and the fourth-quarter economy could be adversely affected, are strengthening epidemic prevention," adding that the epidemic prevention atmosphere in Beijing has been very strict since November.

Meanwhile, Shanghai Disneyland, which had been closed since the 31st of last month, reopened on this day. Shanghai health authorities faced criticism after a woman who visited Disneyland on the 31st tested positive for COVID-19, leading to nucleic acid testing of 34,000 visitors on the same day at the site.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.