China Daily:
COVID-19 cases abroad are still on the rise. The accumulative number of confirmed cases worldwide has exceeded 50 million, and a lot of countries have entered into a second wave. Moreover, winter is also the high-incidence season of respiratory infectious diseases, which has also increased the difficulties in epidemic prevention and control. What measures have been taken to prevent inbound cases through border ports? What new measures will be adopted in winter? Thank you.
Bi Kexin:
Thank you for your question. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the GAC has adopted a series of strict and effective measures to contain the spread of the epidemic through border ports. In the fall and winter months in particular, we have spared no effort to conduct the epidemic prevention and control on an ongoing basis. We have continued to tighten checks on people entering the country. All the entrants must show their Health Declaration Cards at land, air and sea ports. Every single entrant should receive two temperature checks. We have also conducted epidemiological investigation and sampling tests. Stepped up efforts have been made to ensure information update and transfer of [suspected or confirmed] cases. Thanks to the efforts of the inter-agency task force, we have ensured a seamless and hermetic process for managing the quarantine and monitoring of travelers arriving in China, and built a strong line of defense against inbound cases. Moreover, we have improved the capacity for epidemic prevention and control at the ports. In September, 42 customs offices directly under the GAC participated in a drill for an emergency response in various scenarios, which has further improved our emergency response capabilities at the forefront. In October, we carried out a self-check and special inspection campaign in customs offices nationwide, so as to ensure epidemic prevention and control in fall and winter months.
Given the grim situation arising from the pandemic abroad, the GAC will take more targeted and effective measures to prevent inbound cases.
First, we will improve our capabilities for epidemic monitoring and early warning. We will continue to improve our multi-channel monitoring and early warning mechanisms and the inter-department communication mechanism, which will help us obtain epidemic information in a timely manner so that we can research it, know it and draw conclusions accordingly. We will also improve the plan for epidemic prevention and control in fall and winter months to ensure early warnings so that risks of infection are discovered, reported, and handled as soon as they emerge.
Second, we will enhance the quarantine of inbound passengers. All inbound passengers should be given nucleic acid tests and closed-loop management. On this basis, we will strictly implement the double negative test of "nucleic acid and serum antibody" for inbound passengers from high-risk flights, and ensure those in need are tested. Meanwhile, we will prevent the entry of other diseases as well. Apart from the ongoing prevention and control of COVID-19, we will further prevent and control the flu and other respiratory diseases to avoid the intertwining of epidemics.
Third, we will improve testing ability. In order to alleviate the pressure on customs clearance with the resumption of transportation, we will give full consideration to how many passengers are seeking entry, and ensure the manpower, financial and material guarantees. We will also work hard to make breakthroughs in scientific research and speed up the exploration of quick testing methods in ports, as well as try to facilitate the clearance process while implement strict containment measures. We will give full play to the technological support of laboratories and carry out a policy that samples can be tested immediately to make sure that tests are available, they are quick, and they are accurate.
Fourth, we will intensify concerted efforts and cooperation in disease prevention and control. We will further share information among the State Council's inter-agency task force. We will ensure that the entire prevention and control process for inbound passengers, including quarantine, detection, transport, treatment, and medical observation, is flawless, and implement a strict and closed cycle of management. We will reinforce cooperation regarding health and quarantine with certain countries, share the experience of disease prevention and control so as to lower the risk of inbound infections at the source.
We especially recommend that passengers who make cross-border trips should maintain good personal hygiene habits during the journey, such as frequent hand washing and use of face masks and avoiding close contact with people who may be infected with acute respiratory infectious diseases. If passengers experience symptoms such as fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing, they should report immediately to customs so that they can conduct body temperature monitoring, medical inspection, medical screening, and nucleic acid testing. Thank you.
Luo Zhaohui:
What Mr. Bi introduced just now refers to the first steps when entering China. I want to add that we have extended our prevention work abroad. I have mentioned pre-departure nucleic acid testing before. We have tested 400,000 domestic and international passengers since pre-departure nucleic acid testing operations began in July, and found 30,000 positive cases. That means on average up to 13% of passengers may have been infected with the virus, and the efficiency of pre-departure prevention and control is obvious.
Nucleic acid testing is an applicable method and the precision rate is high. However, more than 3,600 cases were confirmed after infected passengers had entered China. This proves that no method is perfect. We have continually cooperated with authorities from the National Health Commission and various experts and it has been agreed that we should introduce "double negative test." That's why we require an additional serum antibody test result, or Immunoglobulin M (IgM) test result.
We have adopted these "double negative test" requirements based on full research and argumentation. It is not that we have not considered the actual situation of each country, and we do not engage in a "one size fits all" approach. You may have noticed that the Chinese embassy in New Zealand released an announcement that if the serum antibody test cannot be performed, an additional nucleic acid test will replace the serum antibody test. We have requested the same in other countries that are unable to conduct the serum antibody test. These requests follow the principle of enhancing remote prevention and control and improving screening accuracy.
As for an additional test in transit, we have mentioned repeatedly that passengers face greater risks of infection while in transit. Experts have carefully studied and analyzed recent imported cases and found that nearly half of the recent imported cases, especially those from October onward, were transit passengers. That's why we require "double negative test" in transit.
This is again not a one-size-fits-all approach. We have not only considered the actual need of reducing inbound transmissions but look to protect transit passengers. At the same time, we have made specific arrangements according to specific conditions. For example, some hub airports can conduct such tests, but what about those that can't? Passengers can seek help via consular protection hotline "12308," which has been in 24-hour service. The staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be on duty 24 hours a day and available to address emergencies in a timely manner. Passengers, both Chinese citizens and foreigners, facing emergencies and difficulties can contact and report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese embassies and consulates and we will work to find solutions to urgent needs. Thank you.
Yin Chengji:
The National Immigration Administration is also doing its part to prevent import of cases, conscientiously performing our duties to tighten border control, a key part in the COVID-19 response. Immigration officers working on the frontline, who assume a higher risk as they need to meet passengers without a mask as they enter our borders, have made great efforts to prevent imported cases. As we prevent import of cases, we also take great care of the health of those officers involved in this work.
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to implement the decisions and arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, prioritize the work of preventing import of cases, and strengthen our policy measures in exit and entry management in light of the usual characteristics of winter. We will continue to work on the following four aspects.
First, we have implemented stricter border control. Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, we have closed off 46 land ports and 66 border passages, while strengthening our guard against illegal entry. We have also tightened our control of land ports and border passages remaining open to ensure only freight transportation is available there.
Second, stricter control over unnecessary cross-border activities have been implemented. China continues to suspend entry of foreign nationals with certain valid visas and residence permit, as well as port visas and regional visa-free policies. We continue to tighten approval procedures of Chinese nationals applying for outbound travel documents in regard to unnecessary purposes and advising them against travelling abroad for tourism, and visiting friends and families. We would like to thank all the Chinese people conscientiously following our adjusted border control policies and guidance since the COVID-19 outbreak. They have contributed to orderly and smooth border management in China.
Third, we have tightened control on the flow of people and vehicles in border areas. We have already set up a border administration mechanism with the Party, governments, military, police and the public contributing their respective shares to epidemic prevention and control. Moreover, we have identified our weak points and high-risk timeframes, and adjusted and added border checkpoints while ensuring other existing ones are given sufficient attention and management. We improved the distribution of border control forces, stepped up inspections of people and vehicles entering and leaving border areas and did our best to prevent infected people from entering the country illegally.
Fourth, we cracked down on illegal entry and exit activities, which endanger national and border security. This year, we have handled over 700 border-crossing cases and investigated more than 5,000 foreign nationals for illegally crossing national borders to enter China, effectively preventing the epidemic from being imported through illegal border-crossing.
To sum up, we will continue to perform our functionary duties in the inter-agency task force of the State Council and implement policy measures to prevent imported cases. Thank you.
