Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Shanghai: U.S. Consulate Orders Departure Of Non-Emergency Staff

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Location Shanghai China

 #16,687

Fifteen days ago Shanghai began China's biggest COVID lockdown in 2 years, after 50 confirmed cases (and 3450 asymptomatic infections) were reported on March 27th. Exactly what Shanghai considers `asymptomatic' isn't clear, given the incredibly lopsided 70:1 ratio of cases to `asymptomatic infections' being reported. 

Given that China has only reported 2 COVID-related deaths over the past year, all the numbers we get from the Mainland should be taken with a grain of salt. 

After two weeks of lockdown and city-wide testing, the numbers from Shanghai have only grown worse.  Today's report from Shanghai's Municipal Health Commission:

April 11 (0-24:00) Confirmed cases and residences of asymptomatic infected persons in various districts of the city

The Municipal Health Commission notified this morning (12th): From 0 to 24:00 on April 11, 2022, there were 994 new confirmed cases of local new coronary pneumonia and 22,348 asymptomatic infections, of which 273 confirmed cases were previously asymptomatic infections. 439 confirmed cases and 21,844 asymptomatic infections were found in isolation and control, and the rest were found in the investigation of relevant risk groups. Four new confirmed cases of imported new coronary pneumonia and one asymptomatic infection were added, all of which were found in closed-loop management and control.

There are persistent reports of widespread food shortages, and growing public frustration over the lockdown - and while the local government has promised a more targeted response - millions of people remain under strict lockdown. 

Yesterday the U.S. Department of State upgraded their COVID travel warnings for China:

China Travel Advisory

Travel Advisory
April 11, 2022
China - Level 3: Reconsider Travel

Reconsider travel to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws and COVID-19-related restrictions. Do not travel to the PRC’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Jilin province, and Shanghai municipality due to COVID-19-related restrictions, including the risk of parents and children being separated. Reconsider travel to the PRC’s Hong Kong SAR due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws.

On April 11, 2022, the Department ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government employees and all family members from the Consulate General Shanghai consular district due to a surge in COVID-19 cases and the impact of restrictions related to the PRC’s response.

Read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page before you plan any international travel.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 1 Travel Health Notice for the PRC and a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Hong Kong, due to COVID-19. Your risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA approved or authorized vaccine. Before planning any international travel, please review the CDC's specific recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.

The zero-tolerance approach to COVID-19 by the PRC and Hong Kong governments severely impacts travel and access to public services. All travelers should prepare to quarantine at a government-designated location for a minimum of 14 days upon arrival. While in quarantine, health authorities will test travelers as often as daily for COVID-19 and will not permit travelers to leave their rooms. Travelers who test positive during this quarantine time will be transferred to a government-designated medical or other quarantine facility. Standards of care, accommodations, testing, and treatments may differ considerably from standards in the United States. Even after completing quarantine on-arrival, travelers to the PRC and Hong Kong may face additional quarantines and mandatory testing as well as movement and access restrictions, including access to medical services and public transportation. In some cases, children in Hong Kong and the PRC who test positive have been separated from their parents and kept in isolation until they meet local hospital discharge requirements.

Travelers within the PRC and Hong Kong may be subject to mandatory testing. In areas with confirmed COVID-19 cases, restrictions may include being confined to home or moved to a government- designated quarantine facility or hospital. Visit the Embassy's COVID-19 page for more information on COVID-19 and related restrictions and conditions in the PRC, or the Consulate General Hong Kong's COVID-19 page for information on the COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong as testing and travel requirements frequently change.

Country Summary: The PRC government arbitrarily enforces local laws, including carrying out arbitrary and wrongful detentions and using exit bans on U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries without due process of law. The PRC government uses arbitrary detention and exit bans to:
  • compel individuals to participate in PRC government investigations,
  • pressure family members to return to the PRC from abroad,
  • influence PRC authorities to resolve civil disputes in favor of PRC citizens, and
  • gain bargaining leverage over foreign governments.
In most cases, U.S. citizens only become aware of an exit ban when they attempt to depart the PRC, and there is no reliable mechanism or legal process to find out how long the ban might continue or to contest it in a court of law.

U.S. citizens traveling or residing in the PRC, including the Hong Kong SAR, may be detained without access to U.S. consular services or information about their alleged crime. U.S. citizens may be subjected to prolonged interrogations and extended detention without due process of law.

Foreigners in the PRC, including but not limited to businesspeople, former foreign government personnel, and journalists from Western countries have been arbitrarily interrogated and detained by PRC officials for alleged violations of PRC national security laws. The PRC has also threatened, interrogated, detained, and expelled U.S. citizens living and working in the PRC.

Security personnel may detain and/or deport U.S. citizens for sending private electronic messages critical of the PRC government.

The PRC government does not recognize dual nationality. U.S.-PRC citizens and U.S. citizens of Chinese heritage may be subject to additional scrutiny and harassment, and the PRC government may prevent the U.S. Embassy from providing consular services.

          (Continue . . . )

Overnight the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai issued the following statement on the departure of non-emergency staff and all family members. 


HEALTH ALERT – U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL SHANGHAI, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (APRIL 11, 2022)
By U.S. MISSION CHINA
 
APRIL 11, 2022

Locations: Shanghai, Jilin

Event: On April 8, the U.S. Department of State authorized the voluntary departure of non-emergency U.S. Government employees and their family members at U.S. Consulate General Shanghai, effective immediately. The Department of State made this decision due to the surge in COVID-19 cases and impact of restrictions related to the implementation of public health response measures. While the Consulate General remains closed to the public due to local COVID-19 control measures, it will remain staffed and continue to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in need. This authorization does not impact U.S. Embassy Beijing or the other Consulates General in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), or the services provided to U.S. citizens.

The United States has no higher priority than the safety, health, and well-being of U.S. citizens overseas. The U.S. Mission to China is closely following the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak with great concern, particularly in the areas of Shanghai and Jilin. PRC authorities continue to expand COVID-19 prevention and control measures as outbreaks occur. These measures may include residential quarantines, mass testing, closures, transportation disruptions, lockdowns, and possible family separation. These measures are dynamic, implemented with little warning, and can change very quickly.

For U.S. citizens in Shanghai who wish to depart, commercial flights remain available but are limited.  As lockdowns are extended, we are monitoring this issue closely and we are engaged on the issue of airport access for travelers with confirmed air tickets. 

Actions to Take:
  • For questions about accessing your confirmed flight due to local health control measures – email ShanghaiACS@state.gov or call+86 10 8531-4000 (press “0” for operator).
  • For questions about access to food, water, medications, or supplies in Shanghai or for other urgent assistance – email ShanghaiACS@state.gov or call+86 10 8531-4000 (press “0” for operator).
  • Contact your local neighborhood committee or employer for assistance with obtaining food delivery or bulk ordering. Food deliveries may be delayed, and the supply of certain items limited.
  • For questions regarding other parts of the People’s Republic of China – call the Embassy or Consulate General located in your district using the contact information at the bottom of this message.
  • Review your personal preparedness to ensure you have a sufficient supply of money, medication, and food and baby supplies for your family in the event of sudden restrictions or quarantine.
  • Ensure all necessary documents are accessible and up-to-date, including travel and identity documents.
  • Contact your loved ones immediately and share regular updates. Family and friends will be concerned about your well-being, so reach out to them however possible – via phone, text, social media, etc. – to let them know you are safe. Text and data services may work when voice does not.
  • Enroll in the free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at https://step.state.gov/ to get direct information from the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in the PRC.
  • Visit the Department of State’s China Country Information webpage for the latest travel conditions.
In case of emergency, please reach out to the Embassy or Consulate General in your consular district by calling +(86)(10) 8531-4000. Further information can also be found at https://china.usembassy-china.org.cn/contact/ and emailing:

Since China releases information `strategically' and treats `bad news' as a national security issue, we really don't know how bad things are on the Mainland.  But given the reports of the sacking of local officials in Shanghai, it is safe to say things aren't going to plan. 
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