25/02/2020 - Announcement of the Embassy of Greece in Beijing on the new coronavirus outbreak in China

According to the data provided by the authorities, as of February 24, 2020, 77.269 cases of the new coronavirus have been confirmed in China and 2.596 patients have died. The majority of cases has been reported in Hubei province, notably in the city of Wuhan, which has been the center of the outbreak. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the epidemic as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

All travelers, both Chinese and foreigners, intending to arrive in Beijing from other countries or areas outside Beijing Municipality, are advised to pay attention to the new restrictive measures of Beijing Municipal Authorities, that have taken effect as of Monday, February 17 and according to which "all the people returning to Beijing are obliged to go through a 14-day observation at home or in designated places upon their arrival", assuming all relevant expenses.

Beijing Municipality has provided clarifications on the issue, stating, among others, that: "People who entered Beijing via Beijing Capital International Airport or Beijing Daxing International Airport and haven’t stayed inside the People’s Republic of China in the previous 14 days are exempt from the 14-day home observation. They should fill in the health declaration card at entry control to report their health conditions, have their body temperature checked, wear masks and keep a proper distance from others. Those who come to Beijing from other parts of China other than Hubei Province for a short stay, have no fixed domicile or jobs in Beijing and come mainly for sightseeing, visit, business, study tour, or on transit, etc. must comply with hotel check-in requirements, have their body temperature checked when entering and leaving the hotel, state the purpose of their visits to Beijing and provide information on their contacts in Beijing. They must comply with the epidemic control measures taken by their local host organizations if they have such hosts. If they develop fever or other discomforts, they should seek prompt medical treatment and inform the hotel and their host organization of such conditions. For people coming to Beijing for work from other parts of China other than Hubei Province, those who need to work together in a shared workplace should be under closed-off management, take protective measures, and work under observation. Others are still required to go through a 14-day home observation before returning to their jobs. People who work in Beijing and live in satellite towns such as the three counties of Langfang city of Hebei Province, there are no mandatory requirements for their daily commute to and from Beijing, but they need to go through routine inspection when entering and leaving Beijing. Civil aviation and railway staff who need to travel frequently to other places are required to stay in designated places when they are back in Beijing".

In Beijing additional stringent and restrictive measures are applied, such as controls at city entry and exit points, temperature measurement when entering buildings, compounds, hotels, the subway and public buses, mandatory use of a mask and prevention of public gatherings. Similar restrictive measures will be probably taken in other cities and provinces of China.

Greek citizens who are already in China or intent to travel to China are advised to comply with the National Public Health Organization (EODY) travel instructions and refer to Embassy Announcements regarding precautionary measures.

Given the new restrictive measures of Beijing Municipality and the fact that Beijing is the main gateway for travelers to China, the Embassy recommends that Greek citizens limit all travel to China to that which is absolutely necessary. In case traveling to China is deemed absolutely necessary, Greek citizens are advised to contact the Embassy at , or on (+86)1085325493 and (+86)13911807084.

Greek citizens who wish to return to Greece from China, except those still in Hubei province, can still travel back via commercial flights - albeit with increasing difficulty. Therefore, Greek citizens are encouraged to hasten their decision.

More information and instructions are available in the following sites:
https://eody.gov.gr/neos-koronaios-covid-19-odigies-gia-taxidiotes/

Hospitals serving foreigners in Shanghai

Designated Hospitals in Guangdong Province

Designated hospitals in Hong Kong to treat coronavirus patients

Useful information for foreign citizens in China

Useful information for foreign citizens in China

Beijing Municipality: http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/feature_2/MultilingualInfoonNCP/Policies/t1619204.htm
http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/feature_2/MultilingualInfoonNCP/UsefulInformation/t1619398.htm