Returning Teachers Experience Tests and Quarantine in Shanghai
by Kitty Li
20 | SLAS TIMES
After the foreigner ban was lifted on September
28 , 2020 ( established on March 28 , 2020 ), returning teachers needed to quarantine for 14 days in a hotel upon arriving in China . Everyone , including Chinese citizens , needs to have a negative result for the nucleic acid test to travel to Mainland China .
Mr . McBroom Before traveling back to China from America , Mr . McBroom faced a challenge for the nucleic acid test .
“ I was required to get a nucleic acid test within a three-day window before the departure of the flight … The test results were sent to the Chinese consulate , which then returned a document authorizing me to get on an airplane . All told , I spent eight hours of combined driving , a great many phone calls and emails , and a few years off the end of my life to get past this check .”
The travel restrictions increased the ticket price to 4,000 USD for Mr . McBroom to travel back to Shanghai .
“ The ticket was purchased through an agent , […] so I didn ’ t really have to do much of that . Tickets are much rarer though . Getting the visa was a very big problem that required many steps that could easily cost several months to accomplish . Right after I finally submitted my complete , approved visa application package , China changed the rule that had previously invalidated my existing visa . When that happened , the visa office just returned my application to me and told me I didn ’ t need to apply for a visa since I could once again use my old one .”
After arriving in Shanghai , Mr . McBroom faced another challenge : the airplane ’ s power was off ,
which means that they could not get the luggage for a long time . After that , he and other passengers went through a series of document checks for COVID and immigration , which took about one hour .
A bus took Mr . McBroom and the other passengers to a hotel . He said , “ At the hotel , you are met by individuals who check you in , and instructions on how to live and how to report your daily temperature checks are given . The hotel conditions depend on the amount of money you wish to spend . I would describe my hotel as moderately comfortable . All told , my hotel and food for two weeks cost about 6000 RMB .”
Ms . Samantha
Ms . Samantha had an easier time traveling back to China from Canada .
“ After obtaining all the necessary documents for the visa application , I received it within four days of applying . Since I am Canadian and our healthcare is free , the test was easy to get .”
“ Airfare was very expensive and often , not many available options as far as routes … The flight cost about 5 times more than what they are during peak seasons . The routes were also more complicated .”
After arriving in Shanghai , Ms . Samantha filled out some forms , did a COVID test and blood test .
“ From the time we disembarked the plane to the time I arrived at the hospital , it was about 4 hours .”