Staff members disinfect the Shijiazhuang Railway Station West Square in Shijiazhuang, North China's Hebei province, Jan. 31, 2021. Local authorities have conducted disinfection work on key public areas such as Shijiazhuang Railway Station to prepare for the work resumption. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua)

Shijiazhuang, provincial capital of North China's Hebei Province, resumed its train service on Monday, after a 34-day suspension due to COVID-19 resurgence in the city. 

The decision was announced by the Shijiazhuang railway station on Monday evening, four days before the Spring Festival, the most important festival among Chinese people for family reunions. In a statement, the rail station said it will re-open all entrance channels and resume passenger services on Monday evening. 

According to the station's epidemic prevention and control regulations, all passengers in and out of the station will undergo temperature checks and will be asked to maintain a one-meter social distance. 

Starting Tuesday, Beijing will adjust its policy for arrivals from low-risk areas in Hebei. The effective date of required negative nucleic acid tests certificates has been changed from three to seven days. The examination of the certificate shall be handled by the local disease control department before entering the station.

On Sunday, the Shijiazhuang health authority conducted a thorough disinfection of the waiting room and exit channel to ensure passengers' safe travel, Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper reported.  

Shijiazhuang was locked down after reporting over 100 COVID-19 infections in early January. All people and vehicles in the city were not allowed to leave. Authorities have also imposed temporary closures on railway stations and suspended operations of the long-distance bus transit station in the city.

Shijiazhuang reported zero new local cases on Monday. The city reported 868 confirmed COVID-19 infections from January 2 to Sunday, with 168 patients receiving hospital treatment. 

The expressway traffic of the city was resumed on Monday. Civil aviation transport and inter-provincial and inter-city long-distance passenger transport have yet to resume, the city government announced at a press briefing on Monday. 

Global Times