Beijing Omicron Case Infected by Package: Authorities
New year, new variant, new cases, new procedures. Last Saturday, Beijing's CDC announced the city's first case of the COVID-19 Omicron variant after a woman in Haidian was found to have contracted the virus, and today they said she may have contracted it from a package she received from abroad on Jan 11.
The package in question? A document sent from Canada on Jan 7 that arrived in Beijing by way of the US and China's Hong Kong, according to city health officials. The parcel was found to have multiple traces of Covid, with the Omicron variant detected on the outer package, internal surface, and some of its papers.
The CDC is now recommending you open packages with a mask and gloves
Now, city officials are asking people not to order anything from abroad and to use masks and gloves when handling any and all packages. They also recommend opening those packages outdoors and promptly throwing away the packaging in outdoor bins, as well as washing hands and any items received after bringing them into the home.
It should also be noted that the woman from Haidian did travel to a number of locations around the city before her infection was confirmed. You can find more on her itinerary via our sister account Jingkids International here. City officials are asking anyone who has traveled to the locations on her itinerary to report to their community or workplace immediately.
The arrival of Beijing's first Omicron case, with Chinese New Year and the Winter Olympics just around the corner, has led to new regulations for arrivals to the capital. Previously, travelers entering Beijing were required to have a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test issued within 48 hours along with a green Beijing Health Code. After Jan 22, though, Beijing bound travelers will need to take another nucleic acid test within 72 hours of their arrival in the city.
Luckily, none of the woman's close contacts nor anyone reporting from the public spaces she visited has tested positive thus far, and living in or traveling to Haidian won't affect your health or travel code. That being said, exercise caution when going out, always wear a mask, handle deliveries with care, and definitely consider the wisdom of staying put in these uncertain times.
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When It Comes to COVID-19, Always Expect the Unexpected
Images: Global Times, Moneycontrol
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