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•Spanish consulate says a number of inbound
foreign citizens who have had their shots were forced to spend several
days in hospital in the city
•No warning was given of ‘surprising and unethical practice’
The
Spanish consulate in Shanghai is calling on the city’s health
authorities to clarify quarantine rules for inbound travellers after a
number of people vaccinated for the coronavirus were subjected to several days of hospital tests on arrival.
Spanish consulate in Shanghai is calling on the city’s health
authorities to clarify quarantine rules for inbound travellers after a
number of people vaccinated for the coronavirus were subjected to several days of hospital tests on arrival.
“In
the past few weeks, without any official message from the Chinese
authorities, foreign citizens … that have been vaccinated either with a
Chinese or foreign vaccine … are being put in hospital against their
will for three or four days upon arrival in China,” the consulate said
in a statement on Thursday.
the past few weeks, without any official message from the Chinese
authorities, foreign citizens … that have been vaccinated either with a
Chinese or foreign vaccine … are being put in hospital against their
will for three or four days upon arrival in China,” the consulate said
in a statement on Thursday.
“Neither
the people admitted [to hospital] nor the consulates general in
Shanghai were informed of this surprising and unethical practice.”
the people admitted [to hospital] nor the consulates general in
Shanghai were informed of this surprising and unethical practice.”
The
German Federal Foreign Office has also updated its travel advice to
China, warning that the policy of hospital quarantine for vaccinated
inbound arrivals was happening “almost without exception in Shanghai and
takes place regardless of whether you have been vaccinated with one of
the vaccines approved in Germany or with a Chinese vaccine”.
German Federal Foreign Office has also updated its travel advice to
China, warning that the policy of hospital quarantine for vaccinated
inbound arrivals was happening “almost without exception in Shanghai and
takes place regardless of whether you have been vaccinated with one of
the vaccines approved in Germany or with a Chinese vaccine”.
“People
who have already been vaccinated should possibly check whether entry
via other airports is an alternative,” the website said.
who have already been vaccinated should possibly check whether entry
via other airports is an alternative,” the website said.
“The procedure of the local health authorities, in particular the new blood test, is not uniform in this case.”
The Shanghai Health Commission did not respond to a request for comment.
In November, China started to insist that inbound passengers show a negative test for the antibody immunoglobulin M(IgM) – usually the first type of antibody produced against virus
infection – along with a negative Covid-19 test taken within 48 hours of
boarding.
infection – along with a negative Covid-19 test taken within 48 hours of
boarding.
Chinese
embassies in the departure country would assess this documentation and,
if satisfied, issue a green health code via a mobile app to clear the
way to board a flight.
embassies in the departure country would assess this documentation and,
if satisfied, issue a green health code via a mobile app to clear the
way to board a flight.
It was reported in February that vaccinated people were being denied green
health codes because of positive tests for IgM, even if proof of
vaccination was also submitted.
health codes because of positive tests for IgM, even if proof of
vaccination was also submitted.
A
German businessman who declined to be named said he had flown from
Frankfurt to Shanghai five times since China tightened border
restrictions in March last year.
German businessman who declined to be named said he had flown from
Frankfurt to Shanghai five times since China tightened border
restrictions in March last year.
He
had his second shot of Sinopharm’s vaccine in April and left China. He
was given a green health code but when he flew from Germany to Shanghai
in mid-May he had to take a blood test on arrival, which came out
positive due to Covid-19 antibodies produced by the Sinopharm vaccine he
had taken.
had his second shot of Sinopharm’s vaccine in April and left China. He
was given a green health code but when he flew from Germany to Shanghai
in mid-May he had to take a blood test on arrival, which came out
positive due to Covid-19 antibodies produced by the Sinopharm vaccine he
had taken.
He
said he then had to spend 72 hours in hospital in Shanghai, where he
was subject to a dozen tests, including a CAT scan of his chest and an
anal swab.
said he then had to spend 72 hours in hospital in Shanghai, where he
was subject to a dozen tests, including a CAT scan of his chest and an
anal swab.
He
said he knew of seven other people, three Germans and four Chinese
nationals, all vaccinated with the BioNTech vaccine, who flew to
Shanghai from Frankfurt and were also subject to hospital quarantine,
although only for 48 hours.
said he knew of seven other people, three Germans and four Chinese
nationals, all vaccinated with the BioNTech vaccine, who flew to
Shanghai from Frankfurt and were also subject to hospital quarantine,
although only for 48 hours.
The businessman said the rules did not appear to have been updated to take account of vaccinations.
“My
interpretation was that they simply failed to update the rule, the rule
being that in the past they didn’t have inbound arrivals that were
vaccinated,” he said.
interpretation was that they simply failed to update the rule, the rule
being that in the past they didn’t have inbound arrivals that were
vaccinated,” he said.
Joerg
Wuttke, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China,
said he was aware of two cases of hospital quarantine for vaccinated
inbound arrivals, involving an Italian and Russian citizen, also in
Shanghai.
Wuttke, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China,
said he was aware of two cases of hospital quarantine for vaccinated
inbound arrivals, involving an Italian and Russian citizen, also in
Shanghai.
The
Spanish consulate said last week that the Spanish embassy in Beijing,
Spain’s foreign ministry, and the European Union delegation to China
were all taking measures to end the surprise hospital quarantine for
inbound arrivals in Shanghai.
Spanish consulate said last week that the Spanish embassy in Beijing,
Spain’s foreign ministry, and the European Union delegation to China
were all taking measures to end the surprise hospital quarantine for
inbound arrivals in Shanghai.
The embassy declined to comment, while the foreign ministry and EU delegation did not respond to a request for comment.
The German businessman said he was relieved that the three days he spent in hospital counted towards the quarantine period.
He also recommended that future vaccinated inbound arrivals to Shanghai prepare some essential supplies.
“I went to hospital and there were no towels, they gave me a pillow cover as a towel because that’s what they had,” he said.
“Make
sure you take a towel, make sure you bring toilet paper, make sure you
order water, and you can sustain yourself during the hospital stay.”
sure you take a towel, make sure you bring toilet paper, make sure you
order water, and you can sustain yourself during the hospital stay.”
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