The recent emergence of home-grown epidemics in several parts of China has sparked panic among some citizens. In response, several provinces and cities across the country are strongly urging residents to spend New Year’s Eve in place.
The Beijing government took the lead in recently calling on citizens, civil servants and employees of state-owned enterprises to “spend the New Year in Beijing,” and on Thursday ordered companies not to hold annual meetings, trainings or New Year’s dinners. Such instructions were subsequently echoed by other regions. Hubei province announced that party and government organs, enterprises and institutions at all levels in the province will cancel collective reunions and large-scale condolences and gala activities. Guizhou province also ordered a ban on organizing and participating in large-scale gatherings and dinners.
In addition, Fujian, Zhejiang, Shaanxi and Gansu have recently issued similar information to encourage people in the province to take local vacations and try to stay out of the province. The prefecture-level cities of Shenzhen, Guangdong and Hefei, Anhui have similarly made the request not to leave the city unless necessary.
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