Beijing city tightens COVID-19 curbs ahead of New Year, parliament meeting

Beijing city will require people arriving from low-risk areas in China between Jan. 28 and March 15 to show negative COVID-19 test results, tightening curbs ahead of the Lunar New Year and the annual parliament meeting. The tighter measures come ahead of the peak Lunar New Year peak travel season kicking off on Thursday, and before China's annual parliamentary meeting starting on March 5.

Beijing city will require people arriving from low-risk areas in China between Jan. 28 and March 15 to show negative COVID-19 test results, tightening curbs ahead of the Lunar New Year and the annual parliament meeting. People wanting to enter the capital from those areas will also first need to undergo a 14-day health observation period at home, Xu Hejian, spokesman of the Beijing city government, said on Wednesday.

COVID-19 tests will also be performed on the seventh and 14th day of their arrival, he told reporters. The tighter measures come ahead of the peak Lunar New Year peak travel season kicking off on Thursday, and before China's annual parliamentary meeting starting on March 5.