1.China extends Spring Festival holiday
The General Office of the State Council announced on 27 January 2020 that the Lunar New Year holiday will be extended until 2 February 2020 as a measure to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The announcement also provides that:
Universities, primary and middle schools and kindergartens across the country will have to postpone their re-opening for the spring semester until further notice.
Employees unable to take leave due to epidemic prevention and control can take deferred holidays in accordance with the labor Law. Their wages and remuneration for the leave not taken should be paid in accordance with relevant policies.
2. Measures regarding the cities of Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou
On 26 January 2020, related authorities in Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Nanjing stated that their cities “will not be blocked”.
a) Beijing
A Beijing Municipal Transportation Commission spokesman said that “external traffic is basically normal”, the city is currently not cordoned off and also not about to be cordoned off. At present, Beijing suspended flights to and from Hubei. Other flights are operating regularly. All expressways and ordinary highways in Beijing are open, buses and subways are also maintaining regular operations. However, the measurement of temperature monitoring, ventilation etc. will be further enhanced.
b) Shenzhen
Information that Shenzhen’s going to be a “sealed-off city” is a rumor.
c) Guangzhou
Internal and external traffic is normal. Temperature monitoring is undertaken in the airport, public transport stations, docks and other places, in order to prevent the spread of the epidemic, especially to reduce imported cases, but there is no “sealed-off city-policy” currently in place.
3. Guangdong demands people wear masks in public places
The Office of the Pneumonia Prevention and Control Command for the New Coronavirus Infection in Guangdong issued a notice on 26 January 2020, demanding that people have to wear masks in public places.
For this purpose, public places include:
(1) Hotels, guest houses, restaurants, cafes, bars, teahouses;
(2) Public bathrooms, barber shops and beauty shops;
(3) Cinemas, karaoke halls, video halls (rooms), amusement halls (room)s, dance halls, concert halls;
(4) Stadiums, Swimming Pools, Parks, Scenic Areas, Religious Places, Commercial Streets, Pedestrian Streets;
(5) Shopping malls (shops), bookstores;
(6) Waiting rooms in hospitals, waiting rooms (to board flights or boats), highway service areas, public transport (including online car-hailing and taxis);
(7) Exhibition halls, museums, art galleries and libraries;
(8) Other public places where people gather.
The notice requires operators and managers of public places to request persons to wear masks before they enter public places in which they operate, and to set up prominent and clear notices with regards to the obligation of wearing masks at the entrance to their premises.
Those who obstruct emergency response staff from performing their duties, violate the “Law of the PRC on Administrative Penalties for Public Security”, and constitute violations of public security administration, shall be punished by the public security organs in accordance with the law.
The notice shall come into effect as of the date of publication, and the date of termination shall be announced separately.
Related posts:
Notice on Tackle Coronavirus Effect on Employment
China Classifies Coronavirus as Category B Infectious Disease
Useful link:
THE STATE COUNCIL OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
