Staffers conduct disinfection on packages arrving from outside the country in the terminal site of Beijing Air Mail Processing Center on November 19, 2021. Photo: CFP

 As many cities in China have reported outer packaging of international parcels testing positive for COVID-19, Beijing, the capital city to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, is applying strict measures to avoid the virus from being transmitted, including multiple rounds of disinfection and 48 hours of ventilation. 

The terminal site of Beijing Air Mail Processing Center, which is responsible for imported parcels and international correspondence in Beijing, handles about 120,000 imported parcels and international correspondence every day. After the mails and parcels arrive at the center, they go through a first round of alcohol spraying, and after entering the processing site, the parcels are disinfected for a second time after the customs officers verify and unseal the mail carts.

In the international mail opening and unpacking area, all staff wear disposable masks and gloves throughout the process, reported China Central Television (CCTV). After the first round of disinfection, the parcels are placed in a ventilated position by the window and are left there for 24 hours.

"The whole disinfection and ventilation process shall not be less than 48 hours in order to ensure that the outer packaging will no longer generate the COVID-19 virus," said Zhao Jing, the person in charge of the site.

After several rounds of comprehensive disinfection from the outside to the inside, an imported package will enter the regular process and the staff will put a label saying "disinfected" on the outer packaging, CCTV reported. 

In addition, the daily conditions of all front-line operators who are in direct contact with imported packages as well as other high-risk positions are recorded in detail.

All personnel on site are required to receive all three doses of COVID-19 vaccination according to regulations, Zhao said. 

"Employees are provided with centralized accommodation, separate production and separate living areas, and are required to undergo nucleic acid testing every other day," Zhao said.

When these packages are distributed to other provinces and cities after being disinfected in Beijing, the processing centers in these provinces and cities will disinfect them again. For example, the transfer station in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, will disinfect the parcels at least three times and ventilate them for a long time.

Recently, officials in Beijing noted that many outer packaging of parcels sent from other provinces to Beijing have tested positive for COVID-19. Officials have reminded citizens to reduce online purchasing from overseas or regions with middle- or high-risk areas. 

According to the latest prevention and control requirements, Beijing will also disinfect deliveries from high- and mid-risk areas for COVID-19 in the country.

Global Times