New Spring Festival Travel Rules Target Coronavirus Outbreak, Hit Migrant Workers
Posted by Joseph Brouwer | Jan 21, 2021
During a January 20 press conference, China’s National Health Commission stated that all hoping to return to countryside homes for next month’s Spring Festival must first get tested for COVID. The following day, Xinhua News followed up on the surprise announcement, writing: “People must produce a negative result on a COVID-19 test taken within seven days before returning to rural areas […] then need to observe a 14-day home quarantine [… during which] they need to take a COVID-19 test every seven days.” The measures are aimed at stopping China’s current coronavirus outbreak, much of which is concentrated in rural areas. The announcement, made only weeks before the beginning of Spring Festival, threw travel plans into chaos and had many wondering about the science behind the drastic public health measure. Popular WeChat account @与归随笔 collect