Third Covid Test in 12 Days (welcome to 2021!)
While I have already done a video blog about this, that was only on the first trip. Having been through this three times now in less than 2 weeks, and my fifth COVID test since March 2020, I figurer I would share the experience (as well as just get it out of my head)
##This is Only In Certain Cities / Districts of China
Some people in other parts of China don’t even know this is happening – so before people overseas say my experience is “all of China” – this is for Shenyang City in the Liaoning Province of China – in the Northeast of China – 3 hour drive from the North Korean border.
AKA – “Dong Bei” (Northeast) part of China. Right in the head of the chicken (If you look at a map of China, it resembles a chicken).
##Went on Complete Lockdown on New Year’s Day 2021
Many overseas think the COVID issue is done in China – but seems not.
The story we heard is a Chinese national living in Korea (Or Japan?) came back to China and had a “UK strand” of COVID. Even after 14 day quarantine she was able to be released (undetected, not sure) and then spread it to her husband and children and neighbors – creating a new outbreak.
Immediately the government shut down schools, malls, basically everything. The gates to our apartment complex only allows 2 main gates (north gate and south gate) with deliveries only allowed to go to the gate (meaning I have to go down to the main gate to get our many ecommerce orders).
##COVID Tests, Mandatory, 2 times a week
So on New Year’s day – we all – with exception of the kids – went to the local vocational school that has been converted to a testing center. The teachers are now nurses.
They can’t scan my passport, so they use my wife’s Chinese ID to track my results.
The test is a cotton swab down the throat – quick and easy.
They slip it into a testing vile and put an ID bar code on it and I’m done.
##Now they Have a Tracking Card
On our third trip, they now issued a card – photo here
and back of card here
This card is used to track how often we have gone? When we entered back to our apartment complex, we had to show this card. I think it is a system they are using to track that you are actually getting your COVID test.
##Waiting for the next Test – for a phone call.
We cannot plan when the test will be, they call us up the day before and say we need to go to the test the following day.
The time you go is flexible, and we are picking after dinner (as I still want to get our work done).
So far we have gone:
Jan 1, 2021 – evening
Jan 6, 2021 – evening
Jan 12, 2021 – evening
So while I say twice a week, it is really up to when we get a phone call to instruct us to go the following day.
This is only happening in Shenyang – the city wide, free COVID tests. Other cities in China that have lockdown are not doing these city wide tests. Wendy says it is because “Shenyang is rich”.