Covid in the Capital: A Rundown of the Latest News

Vincent R. Vinci, Contributing Editor | Apr 12, 2022 5:13 pm | Add a comment | 955 reads

Ever since Omicron rocked into the capital once more a few weeks ago, we’ve been pretty lucky considering there’s been no major lockdowns to speak of – that is, until recent days and weeks.

While we still don’t have it as bad as other locations like Shanghai – which has been experiencing citywide lockdowns due to their Omicron surge – Beijing’s more random and sporadic lockdowns are still proof that the virus is here, with it (and these lockdowns) popping up here and there like an obnoxious game of wack-a-mole.

The most recent of these happened just today (Apr 12), with residents of the Kerry Hotel Residences, part of the Kerry Centre in Guomao, being notified that they’d all have to undergo mass testing because of a suspected case in the complex.

This testing went on throughout the day, with residents finally able to leave the complex in the afternoon after no abnormal testing results were found and the initial suspected case had tested negative. The lockdown and testing didn’t affect the mall or business complex of Kerry Centre, though, in spite of rumors that it had been shut.

The sudden, albiet brief, closure of Kerry Residences isn’t the only shutdown to occur as of late.

Around Northeast Chaoyang District

Erjiefang, an area close to Jiuxinqiao and 798 Arts District, has been designated as high-risk, with a number people in our office and Safe & Sane WeChat groups having been asked to either get tested or self-isolate and submit two negative Covid tests. The individuals in question had visited EAST Hotel, which tells us they have not been asked to close their doors for the time being.

In the first week of April, Wangjing SOHO was rocked by news that a tiny shop selling imported clothing from South Korea was found to be a hot spot for a cluster of Covid cases. The discovery led to the immediate shuttering of the shopping complex on Apr 4, with a Wangjing SOHO employee informing the Beijinger that they'll remain closed until further notice.

In regards to the Jiuxinqiao lockdown, it's been announced that as of Tuesday, workers and guests wishing to enter 798 must present a negative Covid test result no older than 48 hours. Plus, office areas in the Lido area have also allegedly been affected by the recent outbreaks, but this hasn’t been confirmed as of press time.

What to do if Your Health Kit Changes

Got a notice on your health kit? Beijing Waishi has published a nifty bilingual guide for how to get around it.

Of course, this more often than not requires testing, but it’s handy to understand what will happen next nonetheless. Read it here.

The Latest Numbers

Four new local virus transmissions have been reported as of Apr 11. All cases were already under quarantine as they had been identified as close contacts of other cases according to the city's health commission. Three are from Fengtai District, and one is from Chaoyang. One person has also been released from hospital care.

Want to stay safe and sane in Beijing amid the pandemic? Just join our Safe & Sane WeChat group. In the chats, we update group members each day on the latest numbers, risk areas, and other pressing Covid news and developments.