Members of the Beijing Blue Sky Rescue(BSR) team conduct disinfection at the Yuegezhuang wholesale market in Beijing, capital of China, June 16, 2020. Beijing has disinfected 276 farm produce markets and closed 11 such underground and semi-underground markets as of 6 a.m. Tuesday to better curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, Chen Yankai, deputy director of the municipal market supervision bureau, told a press conference on Tuesday. A total of 33,173 catering service providers have also been disinfected, Chen added. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

Beijing raised its COVID-19 emergency response to Level 2 from Level 3, reinstating closed managements on communities, requiring people to have temperatures taken, register, and check health codes before entry. Communities, sub-districts, streets in high/middle risk areas would ban outsiders and cars from entering; and communities of high risk sub-districts would have closed-off management, allowing no one to leave. 

Chen Bei, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing municipal government, announced the decision at a press conference on Tuesday night, noting the capital’s situation is still grim.

Under the COVID-19 emergency level 2, underground cold places in Beijing will be closed. Other public places such as libraries, museums, art galleries and parks will implement time-limited reservations with visitor traffic no higher than 30 percent. 

Trans-province group travel to Beijing will be banned. Many inter-provincial shuttle bus services at Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport have been suspended.

People from medium and high-risk areas and personnel related to Xinfadi wholesale market are prohibited from leaving Beijing, Chen said.

On-campus classes for all primary, middle, high school and university students will be suspended from Wednesday to curb the spread of the virus as soon as possible. 

Under the Level 2 emergency response, working from home is encouraged, while normal work and production will not be halted, Chen said, requiring people to wear masks in enclosed places.

Those who have to leave Beijing need to hold a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test certificate within 7 days of departure.

Flights in and out of Beijing were largely cancelled shortly after Beijing raised its COVID-19 emergency response to level 2.  
 
Chen said the city government will strictly enforce prevention and control measures at wet markets, food markets, restaurants and workplaces, comprehensively conduct disinfection and strengthen monitoring, and require all employees in these places to wear masks and gloves.

Stricter inspection and quarantine of imported food at ports will be carried out. The quarantine standards and traceability management of imported food will be enhanced as well, said Chen.