FAQs for Foreigners in Suzhou on Prevention and Control of the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia
Dear Foreign Friends:
The outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (NCP) has become a major concern for each and every Suzhou citizen recently. Suzhou Foreign Affairs Office has set up a 24/7 hotline to offer timely information and assistance on the prevention and control of the epidemic for all foreign friends in Suzhou. For questions you’d asked and you may have, we’ve referred to the latest policies to come up with a list of answers for your information.
1. Q: How to prevent the novel coronavirus infection?
A: * Avoid visiting seriously-infected areas like Hubei Province, Wenzhou and Taizhou cities of Zhejiang Province and so on.
* Minimize outdoor activities and wear a mask when you have to go outside.
* Maintain good ventilation indoors.
* Wash hands frequently and maintain good personal hygiene.
* Cover mouth with tissue or elbow when sneezing.
* Elevators, doorknobs and toilets among others are places with high risk of contamination.
* To enhance prevention and control of the epidemic, community staff may contact you for information by phone call or in-person visits.
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2. Q：What should I do if I recently came to Suzhou from other regions?
A: (1) If you have visited, travelled to or resided in Hubei Province, Wenzhou or Taizhou cities of Zhejiang Province or other infected areas, or have contacts with persons from such areas in the last two weeks, you are required to inform your community immediately and undergo a 14-day medical observation or quarantine in designated places.
(2) If you have no travel history to infected areas like Hubei Province, Wenzhou or Taizhou cities of Zhejiang Province, nor any contacts with persons from such areas in the last two weeks, but have symptoms including fever and cough, you are required to inform your community immediately and seek medical advice from a fever clinic, and you should stay at the hospital or be quarantined for observation for 14 days.
(3) If you have not been to Hubei Province, Wenzhou or Taizhou cities or other infected areas in the last two weeks and have no symptoms like fever and cough, please kindly inform the community of your health condition, complete your residential registration, avoid outdoor activities and take self-protection measures. (Click here to get more details)
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3. Q: What should I pay attention to if I plan to drive back to Suzhou recently?
A: According to the No. 5 Notice on Enhancing Prevention and Control of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Outbreak of Suzhou Municipal Government, people returning to Suzhou should have personal information registered voluntarily. To get a quick pass at the highway checkpoint, please follow the WeChat account of Suzhou Transportation(苏州交通运输) or Suzhou Public Security Micro Services（苏州公安微警务） to register the information in advance. Please kindly cooperate in the temperature test by turning off air-conditioning and opening the window beforehand, presenting your registered QR code, your passport or other effective ID for check-up. (Click here to get more details)
4. Q: What should I do if I feel unwell?
A: If you feel slightly uncomfortable, please don’t rush to hospitals for this will increase risk of contagion.
However, if you are showing symptoms such as fever, cough, headache, fatigue and breathing difficulty, please avoid contacts with people nearby, wear a face mask and other protective gears available and go to a nearby hospital with a fever clinic in time, and please truthfully tell the doctor your travel history and persons you have contacted recently.
5. Q: When will schools and workplaces open after the Spring Festival holiday?
A: * It is stipulated that staff of all kinds of enterprises shall not return to work before 24:00 February 9th except permitted exclusions.
* Schools at all levels and of all types (colleges, universities, middle schools, primary schools, secondary vocational schools, kindergartens, and nurseries) shall not open prior to the end of February. The specific date will be set based on the scientific evaluations of the epidemic prevention and control, and will be announced to the public in advance.
6. Q: Will I get paid during the postponement of work resumption?
A: According to Suzhou Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, during the period when government postpones work resumption or takes other emergency measures, employees who can’t render normal labor services should be seen as having rendered the services and get paid as usual. (Click here to get more details)
7. Q: How to extend my visa and apply for residence permit during the epidemic prevention and control period?
A: During the epidemic prevention and control period, the local EEA authorities will continue to provide visa extension and residence permit application services to ensure foreigners’ legal stay. The process can be expedited upon request if there is an urgent need.
8. Q: What if my visa/residence permit expires during the epidemic prevention and control period?
A: According to Exit and Entry Administration Law of China, foreigners should exit China or apply for extension at the EEA Authorities before the visas/residence permits expire. In light of the relevant laws and regulations and the current situation, those who are unable to exit as scheduled or extend the visas/residence permits due to epidemic prevention and control shall be given a lighter or mitigated or be exempted from punishment by the EEA Authority depending upon circumstances.
9. Q: How to donate in favor of the epidemic prevention and control efforts?
A: You can directly contact Suzhou Red Cross Society (Tel.: 0512-65230466), fill in the letter of donation intent and donate in line with the instructions of the Red Cross Society.
10. Q: How to obtain the latest English information related to the epidemic?
A: Please follow the WeChat official accounts of authorized media. Suzhou Foreign Affairs Office, jointly working with the above official accounts, has been releasing English and Japanese versions of important notices about the epidemic in an accurate and timely manner to inform the foreign enterprises and foreigners in Suzhou.
If you have any further inquiries, please dial 12345 (hotline of Suzhou public services) or 15051425190 (hotline of Suzhou Foreign Affairs Office).
-Foreign Affairs Office of Suzhou Municipal People’s Government
Source: iSuzhou.
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Last updated: Sunday, February 9, 2020