Winter Olympics 2022: Beijing Enforces New COVID Measures Due To Omicron Outbreak

Bejing’s city government announced new COVID-19 measures Sunday due to a recent Omicron outbreak and ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics.

The National Health Commission reported on Jan. 22 that were nine COVID cases in the Fengtai district of Beijing.

City government spokesman Xu Hejian said in a news conference that the Chinese capital must “take the most resolute, decisive and strict measures to block the transmission chain of the epidemic.” China’s zero-tolerance strategy requires a person to isolate after testing positive.

The new measures include testing for all 2 million Fengtai residents. Beijing authorities have also urged residents to stay clear of “high-risk areas,” and for residents of Fengtai to not leave the city or attend mass gatherings.

Omicron variant may have arrived through overseas packages, which has authorities asking residents to test themselves after receiving any deliveries if they have symptoms.

Following the outbreak, some kindergartens in the area have cracked down and told parents that if their children are not vaccinated they will not be able to come back to class, according to Reuters. It is not clear if the requirement is a government regulation or an independent decision from the schools.

Mainland China reported 56 new COVID-19 cases and confirmed 105,603 cases total as of Jan. 22, the National Health Commission said.