Thanks to the support of all the residents of Changzhou, we have accomplished two rounds of nucleic acid tests for residents in key areas, halting the spread of COVID-19. To curb the transmission of the virus in the shortest time possible with the lowest social cost, Changzhou has assessed the city’s current situation and decided to implement the following measures according to the national and provincial guidelines on epidemic prevention and control.

1. Implementing targeted infection prevention and control measures in accordance with the epidemic situation and risk assessment, stringent restrictions in residential areas and villages -- except for those classified as areas under lockdown or epidemic control -- will be replaced with regular epidemic prevention and control measures on a step-by-step basis starting March 25.

2. Enterprises can resume work and production starting March 25, with epidemic prevention measures in place. In addition to health and travel history codes and temperature checks, local people and staff entering the premises should show two negative nucleic acid test results obtained since March 19. Those who return to work from other cities should provide negative test results obtained within 48 hours. “Closed-loop management� should be observed in the procurement process. Local governments should provide emergency services in a timely manner for enterprises facing difficulties in financing, recruiting, marketing, logistics, and other areas.

3. Staff of government departments and institutions, except for those in residential areas under lockdown or epidemic control, will return to office starting March 25. Government officials are encouraged to volunteer to participate in community epidemic control and residential services.

4. Elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and vocational schools will continue to practice online classes, while kindergartens and early education centers will continue to be closed temporarily. All institutes for higher education will observe lockdown management. Off-campus training institutes should not open any offline courses until further notice. Senior classes at middle and high schools can gradually reopen on campus upon approval of the responsible education authority.

5. All residential areas, villages, and employers should strictly check and register the information of any visitors. For red health code holders, isolated medical observation will be implemented at designated sites. For yellow health code holders, seven-day home isolation and scheduled nucleic acid tests should be practiced. Those who have traveled to high-risk or medium-risk regions should observe relevant epidemic control measures as required.

6. Health institutions without fever clinics should not accept or treat any patients showing symptoms such as fever, dry cough, fatigue, nasal congestion, nasal discharge, sore throat, reduced sense of smell and taste, conjunctivitis (pink eye), muscle pain, and diarrhea. Except for emergency wards and fever clinics, hospitals above level-2 should implement online appointments and limit the number of visitors and caregivers. All pharmacies, both online and offline, will not sell medicines for fever and cough, antibiotics, and antivirals, until further notice.

7. Key areas for epidemic prevention and control, such as nursing homes, psychiatric hospitals, charity houses, and detention centers, will continue to observe closure management.

8. Indoor recreational and entertainment businesses will continue to be closed temporarily, including performing arts venues, Internet cafes, theaters, art galleries, museums, memorial halls, cultural centers, libraries, indoor venues in parks, gyms, public bathrooms, saunas, SPA clubs, yoga studios, beauty salons, shops providing pedicure, ear picking, acupuncture, moxibustion or massage services, bars, KTVs, indoor singing and dancing venues, indoor sports venues, indoor swimming pools, and places for playing poker cards, mahjong, board games, murder mystery, escape room, and other interactive games.

9. Restaurants should ensure food safety and health protection measures, keeping indoor dining closed until further notice.

10. Relevant departments and enterprises should ensure sufficient supply and stable pricing for daily needs.

11. Residents are advised to maintain good habits for health such as washing hands regularly, wearing masks in public, cleaning rooms more often, and using serving chopsticks. Seek medical treatment in line with regulatory procedures when symptoms such as fever, dry cough, fatigue, and sore throat show. The government service hotline 12345 can be accessed at any time for emergency services.

Changzhou Municipal Leading Group for Novel Coronavirus Prevention and Control

March 24, 2022