Residents line up to undergo nucleic acid testing in a residential compound in Tianjin's Nankai district on January 9, 2022. Photo: VCG

Tianjin, a gateway to Beijing, has cut off public transportation to other cities including trains, buses and taxis, and car-hailing service as the city registered more residents with the Omicron variant.

On Wednesday, the city reported 41 confirmed local COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed patients detected in this round of domestic outbreak to 126 as of Wednesday, the local health commission said.

Tianjin is the first city in the mainland to engage in a battle against cluster Omicron infections.

Inner-city buses should skip the stops that are located in epidemic-controlled regions, the transportation department of Tianjin stipulated. 

But transportation for special needs will be guaranteed. In regions where inner-city transportation is suspended, the government together with the community and hospital will establish a specialized channel to ensure their transportation will be satisfied, such as those who seek for medical services in emergency.

Checkpoints will be set up on highways and roads to ensure vehicles from Tianjin to Beijing are inspected. Trains between Tianjin and Beijing had been suspended.

Vehicles that deliver necessities must obtain a pass permit from the government. Together with a health code and negative results of nucleic acid test, they will be allowed to enter Tianjin.

Global Times