Beijing Cancels Flights As New Covid Cases Strain China’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ Policy

Beijing canceled hundreds of flights to and from the Chinese capital Tuesday as the local government, under China’s “zero tolerance” policy in fighting the novel coronavirus, struggles with a new wave of COVID-19 cases in the city.

Data from Chinese aviation industry data site VariFlight, which tracks up to 2,000 flights for Beijing Daxing International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport, revealed that about half of flights to and from Beijing were canceled Tuesday following the capital’s tightening of travel restrictions.

Authorities in the city have been on high alert since an influx of new local COVID-19 transmissions was reported over the weekend. Despite the numbers being low compared to other major cities in the world, local authorities continue to enforce stricter restrictions.

In a CNBC translation of an announcement from the city’s health commission, it was stated that Beijing residents who left the capital for either leisure or business reasons should “postpone” their scheduled return. The commission added that residents should avoid leaving Beijing except for important reasons. Speaking with the news outlet, airport personnel said travelers from a city or smaller community with confirmed COVID-19 cases have been barred from entering the capital.

For entrants from areas with no confirmed infections, they are still required to present COVID-19 test results taken within the past 48 hours. These travelers are also required to monitor their health for two weeks after entry.

Late last week, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) announced that the country will only allow 408 scheduled international passenger flights to and from the country each week during the winter season, Reuters reported.

During the summer season, the Chinese aviation regulator allowed 644 international flights into the country. “The shift of season for international passenger flights will continue to be in line with the relevant requirements from epidemic prevention and control policy and transportation support,” the CAAC said on its website.

It is expected that China will not let down its guard in enforcing its “zero tolerance” policy anytime soon. Respirator disease expert Zhong Nanshan told state media that “the policy (in China) will remain for a long time.” Zhong, who helped develop China’s COVID-19 strategy when the pandemic hit the country hard in early 2020, said the policy’s enforcement will last depending “on the virus-control situation worldwide.”

Under China’s “zero tolerance” policy, authorities are to enforce targeted lockdowns, travel restrictions including weeks of quarantine for most international travelers, shutdowns of indoor entertainment venues and some cultural facilities, cancelation or postponement of concerts, mass testing, and others.

The Chinese National Health Commission reported a nationwide record-high of 93 new symptomatic locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases Wednesday, with 11 new asymptomatic infections not included in the national tally, the South China Morning Post reported.

Since Oct. 17, China has recorded 631 confirmed coronavirus cases in 16 provincial areas. Since the pandemic started, the country has logged more than 126,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 5,600 deaths.