China CDC warns against cross-border travel in National Day holiday

Unnecessary cross-border travel should be avoided during the upcoming National Day holiday due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

As travel restrictions are in place in many countries and regions due to the pandemic, outbound travelers may face a quarantine period as long as 28 days, severely affecting tour experiences, according to a notice released by the China CDC on Tuesday.

During travel, people should take precautions, such as wearing a mask, keeping a safe distance from others and washing hands. Visits to crowded and closed areas, as well as dining together, should be avoided during the holiday, the notice said.

A traveler should conduct self-monitoring for 14 days after coming back from a tour, and report their condition and travel history to a doctor immediately once he or she feels sick. Overseas travelers should go under a 14-day quarantine after a tour and take a nucleic acid test.

The center also cautioned against norovirus infection and food poisoning during the holiday. As more people are expected to eat out or dine together during the holiday, the risk of contracting norovirus, a common cause of viral gastroenteritis, and food poisoning will increase.

The center suggested people pay attention to food hygiene - eat fully cooked food, peel fruits before eating them and drink boiled water.

China's travel and tourism sectors are expected to rebound during the National Day holiday after the spread of the virus has been basically contained within the country with no domestic cases reported since Aug 21.

By Sept 14, domestic air ticket bookings for the 8-day Golden Week had already surpassed the number last year, according to Qunar, an online booking platform.

Last year, nearly 800 million visits were made during the week.

As a precaution, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism demands that cultural and tourist sites limit visitor numbers to no more than 75 percent of their maximum capacity. Other precautions include making reservations in advance and peak hour rearrangement.