Returning to China and Quarantine, Everything You Need to Know
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To help other foreigners who are also in the process of returning to China, I’ve put together my experience of the 14 day quarantine in China.
To try and make the process a little less scary and daunting for other foreigners looking to go back, I decided to keep a quarantine diary and write this blog to help give some guidance.
14 Day Quarantine in China – Before Arriving
Like many foreigners who were living in China at the beginning of 2020 when COVID-19 began making headlines around the world I decided it was safest to return to my home country.
I flew back to the UK at the beginning of February for what I thought (maybe naively) would be for a month or two at most.
After being unexpectantly stuck in the UK for nearly eight months, I was finally able to return in September 2020…
Visa
After an announcement on 10th August that some restrictions were lifted for nationals from certain European countries with valid residence permits and work permits I was able to apply for a new visa.
I quickly booked an appointment in London to apply for a new visa, the documents I needed were a valid residence permit, valid work permit, letter from my employer and of course my passport (with at six months validity left).
Apart from having to wait a long time at the visa office in London everything went smoothly. I had to pay the visa fee of £151, however was told that it would be refunded to me when I collected my visa.
A week after submitting my application I went back to London and collected my visa. I was fully refunded and the whole application process was actually pretty painless.
Booking a Flight
The next step was trying to find a flight which was actually running and wasn’t super expensive.
In the end I did have to pay more than I liked but it was still cheaper than a lot of flights which seemed to be anywhere from £2,000 – £4,000.
I booked a flight with Xiamen Airlines going from London Heathrow to Xiamen, with a stopover at Amsterdam. From the time when I was looking at flights this was a cheaper option than flying to Shanghai.
The main problem faced when looking to buy flights was trying to find out which flights were actually running.
Negative Covid Test
Once booking my flight the next hurdle was getting a negative Covid test.
Around two weeks before I was due to flew to China it was announced the amount of time you were able to get a test result before you fly was being reduced from 5 days to 3 days.
This meant I needed to get the results of a Covid test within 72 hours before my flight.
I also needed a signed and stamped health declaration from the Chinese embassy.
I used Nomad Travel and went to their clinic in Bristol to have the test done. They only had one appointment available which was the Tuesday before my Saturday flight. This meant I was worried my test results might potentially come back too soon.
I talked to the clinician about this and it was decided they would send my test to the lab the following day to ensure this didn’t happen.
I paid for the express service which meant my test results should come back within 48 hours, of it being sent to the lab. As my test was being sent Wednesday I should receive the results before 5pm Friday at the latest.
I then received my test results on Thursday evening.
I immediately sent the test results along with my signed health declaration form to the Chinese embassy with my name and flight date in the subject line.
They replied in less than 5 minutes with the stamped declaration.
I now had everything I needed to be able to fly.
14 Day Quarantine in China – The Flight to China
Check In
It took me and the friend I was travelling with about one and a half hours to go through check in. We had both already checked in online so this was just the time it took for baggage drop.
It looked like the new requirements with some countries needing negative Covid tests etc. really slowed the process down, I saw quite a few people get turned away as they didn’t have the right documents.
The lesson I learnt was ARRIVE EARLY!!!
I think you should arrive about 3-4 hours before your flight because with the new regulations in place check in took much longer than normal.
At the airport they checked my health declaration form, negative Covid test and that I had a valid visa.
On the Flight
This should probably be a bit of a no brainer now, but you must wear a mask on the flight.
Depending on where you’re flying from you could be wearing the mask for quite a long time so I think it’s worth buying one that is more comfortable than your usual disposable mask.
Check whether your airline is running normal catering services or not before you fly.
For my flight there was catering for the short flight with KLM from London to Amsterdam but no full catering from Amsterdam to Xiamen.
For my flight from Amsterdam to Xiamen I was provided with:
·Three bottles of water
·Two cereal bars
·A banana and an orange
·A few other snacks
I bought myself a sandwich to have on the flight when I was at Amsterdam airport, might be a good idea to either bring or buy food for the flight.
Especially because it might be a while before you get your first meal at the hotel.
14 Day Quarantine in China – Arriving in China
At the Airport
When the plane landed in Xiamen passengers were then allowed off the plane in sections.
They started with the passengers at the front and then moved to the back of plane.
If you were sat at the very back of the plane you could be sat there for around an hour waiting to be let off.
Whilst on the plane you were given a health declaration form to fill out (different to the one you need to board the plane).
The form was only available in Chinese but staff or other passengers were happy to help those foreigners who can’t read Chinese.
Main basics on the form was personal details, flight details, end destination and the name and number of a contact person in China.
You are only required to fill out the first 7 sections of the form.
You also need to obtain a QR code through a mini-program on WeChat called “Customs Pocket Declaration”. This is only valid for 24 hours, so if your flight will take longer than this you can fill it out when you arrive in China instead.
The mini-program is available in English so you don’t need to worry about that.
There are also people when you get off the plane who are there to help passengers both fill in the form and get the QR code.
You present your Chinese health declaration form and QR code and then are let on through to where you’ll be tested for Covid.
You are shown into a little room, given a nasal and throat swab.
I was most nervous about getting the nasal swab as I’d heard from friends that it was extremely uncomfortable.
But for me personally it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be so try not to worry too much!
Next you go through immigration as per usual. You need the standard yellow arrival slip that you always need.
They did ask me a few more questions than normal, but apart from that it was all pretty straight forward.
You then collect your luggage and are asked to scan another QR code to fill in another form, this one only in Chinese to then obtain, you guessed it, another QR code.
I’d recommend screen-shotting this so that you have easier access for it as it’s needed multiple times.
We were then taken on a short 5 minute bus journey to a building where we were sorted into groups depending on where your end destination was.
I was sorted into the Beijing group which was actually mostly comprised of foreigners.
We waited here for about half an hour and then were taken on another bus. This journey was about 20 minutes and we arrived at our quarantine hotel.
Check in at Hotel
The hotel we were designated to was the Courtyard Hotel by Marriot in Xiamen.
When we checked into the hotel we had to pay a 9,000 CNY deposit. The room rate for my room was 460 CNY per night, which included a Chinese breakfast.
Lunch and dinner could be ordered for an extra price, most things on the menu were around 40 – 90 CNY.
They had a range of both Chinese and Western food. They also had drinks, including alcohol available.
We were told that we’d receive the rest of our deposit back when we checked out, minus any extra meals, drinks etc. we’d ordered.
14 Day Quarantine in China – Daily Diary
Day 1
Arrived at the hotel this morning, feel pretty exhausted but I want to try and beat jetlag so I’ve only allowed myself to nap for an hour.
I normally never get jetlag so really hoping this works, as it usually does.
I’ve unpacked my things and checked out the facilities of the hotel.
We have been supplied with the following:
·24 bottles of water (500ml)
·4 toilet rolls
·3 boxes of face tissues
·3 mini bottles of shower gel, 3 mini bottles of shampoo, 2 mini bottles of conditioner, 3 bars of soap
·1 small bottle of toothpaste
·3 toothpaste packs (toothbrush and tiny bottle of toothpaste)
·3 large towels, 3 small towels, 3 flannels
·English breakfast tea, green tea, jasmine tea and instant coffee (a couple of each)
·Robes and slippers (real fancy right!?)
The facilities of the room include:
·Two double beds (yes two!?)
·Kettle
·2 cups, 2 glasses, 2 teaspoons
·Mini fridge
·Smart TV (has films, TV shows etc. available to watch – includes Chinese and western ones)
·Sofa
·Desk and chair (really happy about this as I’ll be working while I’m in here)
·En-suite (really nice walk in shower)
In the early evening, around 5pm, someone knocked on my door and I had to have a temperature check.
Quick and easy, they just scan your forehead and tell you your temperature.
Day 2
Received my first breakfast this morning which included a boiled egg, a baozi, a pot of congee and an eggy/pancake type thing.
Not going to lie, it’s definitely not the nicest food and it would be nice if it included some fresh fruit but could be worse.
My quarantine hotel room
They don’t knock on your door when breakfast is delivered, you just have to go and check the chair outside your room, it’s delivered between 7-8am.
This morning I also had a blood test.
I’ve heard that this isn’t the case in all cities, for instance friends of mine who quarantined in Shanghai didn’t have any blood tests.
I believe it’s an antibody test, but I’m not 100% sure. Also had a temperature check in the morning and the evening.
Today I also decided to try and order Waimai from a local shop. I just ordered some dried fruit, pot noodles and UHT milk for tea (I’m British, tea is a quarantine essential).
Everything was delivered successfully and the process was really easy and smooth.
The hotel provided an information pack which had the hotel address on it for deliveries.
Day 3
For both my mental and physical health I really want to do some exercise whilst I’m here so I decided to order a yoga mat off Waimai – success!
I also decided to order a HDMI cable on Taobao so that I can connect my laptop to the TV. I think this is going to really up my quarantine game.
It’s only day 3 but I feel like it’s going ok so far.
I do think that as I’m working full time whilst I’m here that really helps as they uses up most of the hours in the day.
By the time I finish work at 5 or 6 I’m just left with a few hours to keep myself entertained.
One thing I’m really missing is real coffee. I had a cup of the instant stuff they’d provided but have remembered there is a good reason I stopped drinking it, because it’s terrible!
Day 4
I think I can now safely say that I got away with beating jetlag and have not been jetlagged at all since being here!
View of the hotel corridor
Top tip, if you get in really early DO NOT LET YOURSELF SLEEP!!
I allowed myself a very short one hour nap on Sunday then forced myself to stay up until 11pm to make sure I was super tired for bed.
And it has worked!!
Ordered a “fruit platter” from the hotel today because I am worrying about the lack of vitamins I must be getting in here.
Definitely would have been a good idea to bring some vitamin tablets with me – maybe I will try to buy some on Waimai.
Now I have my yoga mat I did some yoga and a workout. Not going to lie the workout almost killed me, I think I will be in a lot of pain tomorrow.
Still not finding quarantine too bad at the moment. I think after having spent the past 7 months back living with my family in the UK it’s nice to have my own personal space again (no offense mum and dad).
Day 5
Today is Mid-Autumn Festival and we got a nice surprise from the hotel in the form of some mooncakes!!!
Now I’m not actually a big mooncake fan, however I really appreciate the thought!
I had a video call today with some friends after I finished work, two of them are also in quarantine (one of them I travelled here with) so it was really nice to talk to people going through the same thing.
Hoping to schedule some more video calls for the weekend to try and keep myself entertained.
Day 6
I ordered coffee from the hotel for the first time today.
Got myself a nice iced americano, I’ve been missing coffee so much since being in here.
To be honest it wasn’t the best coffee I’ve ever had, it was a bit on the weak side but still did the job!
I’ve now finished work for the week and am feeling a little apprehensive about the weekend. This will be the first time that I’m here where I will have lots of spare time on my hands so I think it will probably make being in quarantine a lot harder than when I’m working and busy for most of the day.
Day 7
This morning I had my first Covid test since the one I had at the airport (excluding the blood test).
This was a nasal swab, which are the tests I’ve come to dread the most as they are very uncomfortable to say the least.
View from my quarantine hotel room
A lot of my friends who’ve already been through this have been saying how rough they can be administering the test so you can see why I’ve been understandably worried.
The one at the airport wasn’t too bad, but still wasn’t a pleasant experience by any means.
The test wasn’t actually as bad as I thought it was going to be.
I still think the worst test I’ve had so far was in the UK, which I also wouldn’t say was extremely bad like what I’ve heard from some of my friends.
I don’t know whether I’m just lucky and they’ve been more gentle or if it’s just different for everyone.
At my hotel there is no pre warning, and to be honest very little communication about anything that’s happening. We do have a WeChat contact to message if we have any questions though.
Although, it would be nicer to be told on X day at X time you’ll have a test etc., just to give us all a bit more warning about everything. My friend who is also in the hotel is on a lower floor than me so he is normally able to send me a message in advance which is lucky for me.
Day 8
It’s Sunday today and I have completed what will be my only weekend in quarantine.
As it’s been October holiday (I’ve been working overtime, might as well since I can’t go anywhere!) there is one of those weird makeup days next Saturday.
The weekend has definitely been a lot tougher than the past week. Not having work to distract me I’ve felt myself getting a lot more frustrated and bored.
I’ve been watching a lot of TV, lots of things on Netflix when the VPN connection is good enough.
I also started watching a Chinese TV show that has been on my to watch list for quite a while. It’s called The Bad Kids and is available to watch on iQIYI.
It has English subtitles available, though I’ve been watching it just with the Chinese so that I can get some Chinese practice too.
Honestly, I think it might be one of the best Chinese TV shows I’ve watched!
It’s very dark and unlike any other Chinese drama I’ve watched and would definitely recommend it to everyone.
The other good thing as it’s available on a Chinese streaming site I don’t have to rely on a good VPN connection to watch it.
Day 9
Time definitely feels like it’s going by a lot more slowly now. I feel like last week actually went by quite fast, but now time is really dragging on.
Before coming back to China I was feeling very apprehensive about quarantine and how it would effect my mental health, as I’m sure most people are.
However, so far I will say that it has gone a lot better than I thought it would.
One of the things that has really helped me and that I’ve found very therapeutic is doing a paint by numbers that I brought with me.
I find doing it very calming and it’s a really great distraction. I’ve found I can easily sit there for a few hours without even really noticing the time.
It’s also really nice to do something that isn’t focused on a screen, especially as I’ve been working on a computer all day.
I’d really recommend bringing sometime non screen relate to quarantine like a paint by numbers, a colouring book, or a jigsaw puzzle etc.
I think it’ll also be nice to have something to mark my time spent in the 14 day quarantine in China.
Day 10
I’ve finally reached double figures!!
It’s starting to feel like the end is in sight now.
I’m starting to think about all of the things I’m looking forward to doing when I’m back in Beijing.
Not going to lie most of them revolve around food, and the first weekend I’m already planning a brunch!
In preparation of stuffing my face when I’m back in Beijing I’ve been trying to do some daily exercise here. This is really both for mental and physical health.
The yoga mat I ordered on Waimai has been a really good investment, I’ve used it a lot.
When I’ve started feeling quite fed up doing some yoga or some pilates has really helped get me out of my bad mood.
I think yoga especially has been good for my mental well being. I’d really recommend a bit of daily yoga or meditation while in quarantine.
Day 11
Today I booked my flight back to Beijing.
We had to book it before Thursday which is tomorrow.
There were loads of flights available and all quite reasonable and super easy to book through the app Trip (used to be CTrip).
However, I have now realised I booked a flight to the new airport Daxing which is much further away. I live right by Dongzhimen Station so if I was at Capital airport it’s only a 20-30 minute ride home on the airport express.
Instead it’ll take one to two hours depending on traffic by taxi or Didi.
I haven’t been to the new airport before though and have heard that it’s really nice, so I guess it’ll be cool to actually get to see it.
Day 12
I had a video call with some friends yesterday, one of which is only on her second day of the 14 day quarantine in China.
She actually gave me a really good idea for something productive to do in quarantine that I hadn’t thought of. She has enrolled in a free online course.
I think this is a really great idea, especially for anyone who isn’t able to work remotely like I’m doing.
It’s really good to use time spent in here productively and also you would be able to leave quarantine with a sense of achievement.
There are so many great free courses on YouTube, I think it would be a really great opportunity to learn something new.
I’ve now begun having a little look into marketing tutorials etc. so that I can use the rest of the time I have in here more productively.
Day 13
This morning I had what should be my last covid test. It was a nasal swab and a blood test.
As always the nasal swab was not very comfortable but I still wouldn’t say it was a truly horrible experience.
Again, there was no warning that we’d have the test, though I did get warning from my friend.
Unfortunately for him he was woken up by them ringing the door, which was not a very nice wake up call for him!
I do feel that there is a real lack of communication between us and the hotel.
I do understand that it may be difficult with the language barriers that some foreigners will have.
However, just some basic information on what days we’ll be getting tests etc. would have been really appreciated.
Day 14
It’s finally here, my last day of my 14 day quarantine in China!!
We got a call from the hotel today that our check out time is at 12.
A car has then been arranged for us to take us from the airport. As me and my friend booked the same flight, I hope this means we will be able to leave together.
I am definitely very excited to be getting out, can’t wait to get back to my flat in Beijing, it seems crazy that I was last there 8 months ago!
Overall I haven’t found the quarantine experience too bad, I do think having a very nice room with a lovely view helped a lot.
I also think being able to work was a really good distraction as well. It was also good for providing a routine for my days.
14 Day Quarantine in China – Nine Tips and Tricks to Stay Sane
Below I’ve listed the things that I found most helpful to stay sane whilst in the 14 day quarantine in China.
As I was working full time whilst I was in quarantine, I know that my experience will be quite a lot different to those who aren’t working.
However, I hope this list can still help make it all more bearable:
1. Paint by numbers/mindfulness colouring books, jigsaw puzzles – My paint by numbers helped me massively, I found it very relaxing and therapeutic and it was easy to spend hours doing it. It was also nice to do something that wasn’t just screen focused.
2. Stick to a routine – As I had to work I was forced into having a routine anyway, but I think it’s good to set an alarm and make yourself get up and do things. A good idea might be to set daily goals.
3. Exercise – Great for both your mental and physical health, I’d really recommend looking at doing yoga. My personal favourite free YouTube yoga instructor is Yoga with Adrienne.
4. Video calls with family and friends – It can be difficult being alone for two weeks, organise virtual meet ups with loved ones.
5. Home comforts/treats – For me this was definitely being able to have tea and Cadbury’s chocolate. Nice, comforting things that will cheer you up.
6. Netflix/TV series and films – If you don’t have Netflix it’s a great opportunity to make use of the 30 day free trial – just make sure you have a VPN that can access it. Otherwise, there are plenty of Chinese streaming sites with both Chinese and foreign films.
7. Read books – Another great way to spend time without looking a screen.
8. Enrol in a free online course – e.g. free Chinese classes, so that you feel like you’ve achieved something while in quarantine.
9. Podcasts – There are countless podcasts out there that are completely free and nowadays you can find a podcast about pretty much anything.
14 Day Quarantine in China – Useful Chinese Vocab and Phrases
At the hotel I stayed at the staff all spoke quite good English, although I do speak Chinese I still felt much more comfortable being able to speak in English with staff as well.
But, this isn’t the case at all hotels so here is some useful vocabulary and phrases for the 14 day quarantine in China.
Arrival
·Please scan the QR code 请扫描二维码 Qǐng sǎomiáo èr wéi mǎ
·What’s your flight number? 你的航班号是多少？Nǐ de hángbān hào shì duōshǎo?
·Do you have a Chinese phone number? 你有中国电话号码吗？Nǐ yǒu zhòng guó diànhuà hàomǎ ma?
·Do you have a contact person in China? 你有一位在中国的联系人吗？Nǐ yǒuyī wèi zài zhōngguó de liánxì rén ma？
At the Hotel
·I’m vegetarian, I don’t eat meat 我是素食者，我不吃肉 Wǒ shì sùshí zhě, wǒ bù chī ròu
·I’m vegan 我是纯素食者 Wǒ shì chún sùshí zhě
·I’m allergic to XXXX 我对XXX过敏 Wǒ duì XXX guòmǐn
·I would like to order… 我要点…Wǒ yàodiǎn…
·Can we order Waimai to the hotel? 我们可以点外卖到宾馆吗 Wǒmen kěyǐ diǎn wàimài dào bīnguǎn ma
·What time can we checkout? 我们几点可以退房 Wǒmen jǐ diǎn kěyǐ tuì fáng
Health
·Do you feel ill? 你觉得不舒服吗？Nǐ juédé bú shūfú ma?
·What’s my temperature? 我的体温是多少？Wǒ de tǐwēn shì duōshǎo?
·Your temperature is… 你的体温是……Nǐ de tǐwēn shì…
·We’re going to do a blood test. 我们做一个验血 Wǒmen zuò yīgè yànxuè
·We’re going to do a nasal swab. 我们做一个鼻咽拭子 Wǒmen zuò yīgè bí yān shì zi
·We’re going to do a throat swab. 我们做一个咽拭 Wǒmen zuò yīgè yàn shì
14 Day Quarantine in China – FAQs
1. How much does the 14 day quarantine in China cost?
The cost of the 14 day quarantine in China depends on which hotel and city you end up quarantining in.
But on average the cost seems to be around 5,000 – 7,000 CNY.
2. Do I need the Covid test to be done within 72 hours of my flight or to receive the results within 72 hours?
You need the results within 72 hours, however this can vary with different airlines so be sure to check the specific requirements of the airline you’re flying with.
3. How many Covid tests do you have to do in China?
This can vary depending on city, but for most places you do three tests overall: one when you arrive in China, one on day 7 of quarantine and one on either day 12 or 13 of quarantine.
4. Can you choose what hotel you quarantine in?
No, as far as we are aware you can’t choose what hotel you will quarantine in.
You will be assigned a hotel depending on your end destination e.g. district you live in or your end destination city.
5. Are all meals provided by the hotel?
This seems to vary depending on the city and hotel you quarantine in.
For example it seems that most hotels in Shanghai include three meals in the price, whereas in Xiamen only breakfast is included.
6. Can you order deliveries to the hotel?
This depends on the hotel, some allow deliveries and some don’t. You should prepare everything you need just in case.
7. Do I have to quarantine in the city I arrive in?
Yes you have to quarantine in the city which you arrive in in China.
8. If I live in another city to the one I quarantine in do I have to quarantine again?
No, you shouldn’t have to quarantine again in the city you live in.
However, you may need to give information to your housing compound such as daily temperature checks so you should contact them before you return.
9. What toiletries are provided in the hotel?
Most hotels provide basic toiletries like you get in a normal hotel, however this is not always guaranteed so you should bring some with you just in case.
10. Can I bring game consoles with me to quarantine?
Yes, you should be able to bring game consoles with you to quarantine. I brought a Nintendo Switch Lite with me no problem in my hand luggage.
Source: ltl-beijing.com
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