Travelers to China risk 'random' quarantine

[tonado]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/06/20/china...tine/index.html

 

"Travelers to China who display flu-like symptoms may be randomly quarantined over concerns of the swine flu virus, the U.S. State Department warned."

[usaRichard]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/06/20/china...tine/index.html

 

"Travelers to China who display flu-like symptoms may be randomly quarantined over concerns of the swine flu virus, the U.S. State Department warned."

Going over on July 4th, excerpts from the DOS doesn't sound like fun.

 

We have reports of passengers arriving from areas where outbreaks have occurred (including the U.S. and Mexico) being placed in precautionary quarantine simply because they registered slightly elevated temperatures. In some instances, children have been separated from their parents because either the parent or the child tested positive for 2009-H1N1 and was placed in quarantine for treatment. This situation presents the possibility of Chinese medical personnel administering medications to minors without first having consulted their parents.

 

The Department of State has received reports about unsuitable quarantine conditions, including the unavailability of suitable drinking water and food, unsanitary conditions, and the inability to communicate with others

 

The Chinese government will not compensate people for lost travel expenses. Travelers to China are urged to consider purchasing travel insurance to protect against losses in the event they are quarantined.

[chengdu4me]

Anyone worried about the odds that you may get nailed for a slightly elevated body temperature...try this....about an hour before landing, take three standards aspirins. That will lower your body temp about 2 degrees even if you don't have a fever. Being anxious, nervous, anticipation...all these things can raise blood pressure which can also raise body temps.

[Scott@Hong]

Landed in Beijing on the 27th, not really an issue. Fill out form on plane, they came on board and forehead scanned everyone in under 5 minutes.

Only real difference is they have extra stop now in the airport to hand in the health form and they check it, took about 2 minutes is all.

Then business as usual, entire time from landing until I was through customs and on way to connecting flight, under 20 minutes.

 

One point to add, don't lie on the health form they check up on you. They stopped by apartment this morning to see if I was actually here at this address.

[Kevin&Leilei]

I'm starting to get worried... I'm leaving for China again on July 6th, and I've had a cold, mostly coughing and a sore throat. No fever, but I'm worried if it hasn't subsided by then, they'll put me in a precautionary quarantine.

[timb]

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Garlic & Ginger Tonic Tea

 

4 cloves of garlic, minced

4 chunks of root ginger, grated

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 teaspoon of honey

a small dash of cayenne pepper

 

Prepare all ingredients, and place them on a large mug/measuring jug/teapot

Cover with just boiled water and infuse for 15-20 minutes

Strain and drink!

 

 

I'm starting to get worried... I'm leaving for China again on July 6th, and I've had a cold, mostly coughing and a sore throat. No fever, but I'm worried if it hasn't subsided by then, they'll put me in a precautionary quarantine.

[whome?]

From this article seems justified that China is worried about visitors from the USA....I have not seen any updates about this in the US media.

 

http://www.moh.gov.sg/mohcorp/default.aspx

[tsap seui]

The lil' rabbit wants me to come back to her in China like, yesterday. But now she's tellin' me she "fears you take pig trouble to China."

 

All I can say is..."dag-nab-it, you wascaw-wee wabbit, I AM a pig!!!"

 

 

tsap seui

[knloregon]

Fei passed through no problem at CAN 6/25.

[timb]

I'm bringing enough asprin for the 5 rows around me. Is that wrong?

 

Anyone worried about the odds that you may get nailed for a slightly elevated body temperature...try this....about an hour before landing, take three standards aspirins. That will lower your body temp about 2 degrees even if you don't have a fever. Being anxious, nervous, anticipation...all these things can raise blood pressure which can also raise body temps.

[Guest Tony n Terrific]

I recieved this e-mail a few minutes ago from the State Department about traveling in China.

 

China

 

July 09, 2009

 

The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the quarantine measures imposed by the Government of China in response to the 2009-H1N1 pandemic that may affect travel to China. This Travel Alert updates the June 19, 2009 Travel Alert in order to address the potential for quarantine of unaccompanied minors. This Travel Alert expires on September 30, 2009.

 

In May 2009, China implemented a policy that allows it to quarantine arriving passengers who exhibit fever or flu-like symptoms if they are arriving from a country which has cases of 2009-H1N1, including the U.S. Although the overall percentage of Americans being quarantined remains low, the seemingly random nature of the selection process makes it almost impossible to predict when a traveler may be placed into quarantine. Travelers with even a slightly elevated body temperature risk being placed into hospital quarantine, while passengers sitting in close proximity to another traveler with fever or flu-like symptoms may be taken to a specially-designated hotel for a quarantine of approximately seven days, even if they show no symptoms themselves.

 

The Department of State has received reports of minors traveling without a parent or adult guardian being taken into quarantine upon arrival. Some of the children were under 10 years of age. Parents considering sending their children unaccompanied to China are urged to consider postponing their travel until the quarantine policy ends or until 2009-H1N1 Influenza subsides. In addition, there have been some instances where children have been separated from their parents during quarantine because only the parent or the child tested positive for 2009-H1N1 or exhibited symptoms. Travelers are advised that Chinese health authorities have not issued a country-wide policy on keeping family members together in quarantine, and the practice of keeping young children with their parents or guardians varies by quarantine facility. In some hospitals, parents have been denied access to their children who were in isolated quarantine. In these situations, there exists the possibility of Chinese medical personnel administering medications to minors without parental permission.

 

The Department of State continues to receive reports about poor quarantine conditions, including the unavailability of suitable drinking water and food, unsanitary conditions, the lack of telephone access, the absence of English-speaking staff, and limited availability of English-language interpreters.

 

Travelers to China are reminded that all foreign travelers, including U.S. citizens, are obliged to follow local procedures regarding quarantines and any other public health-related measures. The U.S. Embassy is unable to influence the duration of stay in quarantine for affected travelers. The Chinese government will not compensate people for lost travel expenses. Travelers to China are urged to consider purchasing travel insurance to protect against losses in the event they are quarantined.

 

For more information on U.S. Government policy during a pandemic, and for travel safety information, please see the State Department’s “Pandemic/Avian Influenza” and “Remain in Country” fact sheets on www.travel.state.gov. Further information about 2009-H1N1 Influenza, including steps you can take to stay healthy, can be found at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control website at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/, the U.S. Government pandemic influenza website at http://www.pandemicflu.gov, and the World Health Organization website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html.

 

U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the Department of State’s travel registration website . By registering, American citizens can receive the Embassy’s most recent security and safety updates during their trip. Registration also ensures that U.S. citizens can be reached should an emergency arise either abroad or at home. While consular officers will do their utmost to assist Americans in a crisis, travelers always should be aware that local authorities bear primary responsibility for the welfare of people living or traveling in their jurisdictions.

 

Beijing: The U.S. Embassy is located at No. 55 An Jia Lou Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing. The American Citizen Services section can be contacted during regular business hours and for after-hours emergencies at (86) (10) 8531-4000. For detailed information please visit the U.S. Embassy web site. The Embassy consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, and Jiangxi.

 

Chengdu: The U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu is located at Number 4, Lingshiguan Road, Section 4, Renmin Nanlu, Chengdu 610041; tel. (86)(28) 8558-3992, 8555-3119; after-hours emergencies (86)(28) 1370 8001 422. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Guizhou, Sichuan Xizang (Tibet), and Yunnan, as well as the municipality of Chongqing.

 

Guangzhou: The main office of the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou is located at Number 1 South Shamian Street, Shamian Island 200S1, Guangzhou 510133. The Consular Section, including the American Citizens Services Unit, is now located at 5th Floor, Tianyu Garden (II phase), 136-146 Lin He Zhong Lu, Tianhe District; tel. (86)(20) 8518-7605; after-hours emergencies (86)(20) 8121-8000. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and Fujian.

 

Shanghai: The Consular Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai is located in the Westgate Mall, 8th Floor, 1038 Nanjing Xi Lu, Shanghai 200031; tel. (86)(21) 3217-4650, ext. 2102, 2013, or 2134; after-hours emergencies (86)(21) 6433-3936. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

 

Shenyang: The U.S. Consulate General in Shenyang is located at No. 52, 14th Wei Road, Heping District, Shenyang 110003; tel. (86)(24) 2322-2374; after-hours emergencies (86)(24) 137-0988-9307. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Liaoning, Heilongjiang, and Jilin.

 

13. Travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444

[whome?]

An update on the June 19 issue with more "received reports" of children being quarantined and bad treatment.

 

Yet from a search of the internet one can only find stories of Mayor of NO and some of the US students on a educational trip to China being quarantined. When I went back to the US in June I knew there was a chance I would sit besided someone who was sick and get quarantined but I took the risk. So did they.

 

But I have to ask myself, if the situation is as bad as this travel alert sounds why has the US media not picked the numerous reports up and run with it?

 

Sure being unlucky and getting quarantined is no fun ... but you knew there was the chance going into it. The travel alert makes it sounds like they are randomly picking out USC just for the fun of it.

[knloregon]

Fei entered China June 25 at CAN.

 

No one was allowed to deplane---techs dressed head to toe in white spacesuit type clothes---faces covered also walked the aisle with infrared thermometers. Evryone passed, and were then allowed to deplane.

[Bert]

Fei entered China June 25 at CAN.

 

No one was allowed to deplane---techs dressed head to toe in white spacesuit type clothes---faces covered also walked the aisle with infrared thermometers. Evryone passed, and were then allowed to deplane.

 

It was similar to what happened when I arrived on the 28th of June. They did business class first then let them deplane. Then they did coach. If the head scan was elevated, they used a thermometer. The kid behind me was seriously ill. They did a secondary check and let he passed. It took about 15 minutes to check everybody. Otherwise, it was business as usual. Nobody came to check up on me in Shanghai.

[Stone]

My wife and kid arrived in Shanghai, China last week. She said nobody was quarantined on her plane, because everybody passed the medical test, which only lasted a few minutes. They even did not bother to wear the respirators that she brought with her, because nobody sneezed or coughed on the plane. They are now in her parents home and will stay indoor for 1 week for "observation purposes" as recommended by the Chinese health official.