CHINA
/The following information has been collected and collated by convergence consulting in collaboration with our in-country Global Alliance Partner. Please let us know if you have additional questions by emailing us at COVID-19@cc-global.com.
1. Does your country’s health authority have guidelines or requirements for when COVID-19 cases are classified work-related and reported as a workplace illness?
In China, medical staff and other related workers who are infected COVID-19 as a result of their job are classified as a work-related illness and receive the benefits and related insurance.
For more information and details visit (Chinese only): http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2020-01/23/content_5471922.htm
For all other occupations, the Chinese government has mandated that if an employee is confirmed to have COVID-19, or been in close contact with a confirmed case that requires isolation, the company must pay normal salary to the employee during the treatment and isolation and employment shall not be terminated. During the isolation or treatment period, termination of employment cannot occur.
For more information, visit the website: http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2020-01/27/content_5472508.htm
2. Is there information on the timing of “return to work” and the process for a worker to return, i.e. examination by a physician, or a negative COVID test?
Before returning to work, employees confirmed to have COVID-19 are required to stay at home for no less than 14 days or provide a negative COVID-19 test.
3. Does your country’s health authority have COVID-19 mitigation guidelines for the public and/or for business? If so, please list them below and how long they will be in place.
Yes, China’s government has issued several COVID-19 related mitigation guidelines.
For the public, the latest guideline called Guidelines of the State Council on the Prevention and Control of COVID-19 on a Regular Basis, was issued May 8. It suggests that people:
Wear masks in a crowded enclosed space.
Reduce unnecessary activities with large groups of people.
Strengthen ventilation and disinfection indoors.
Adopt a healthy and hygienic lifestyle (wash hands often, use sanitizer).
It also points out that prevention in key areas (for example nursing homes) and for priority groups (for example the elderly, children, and people with chronic diseases) shall be strengthened.
For more information, visit the following website: http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2020-05/08/content_5509896.htm
According to the Notice of Further Improvement of Prevention and Control for Key Populations in Key places and Key Units, differentiated prevention and control measures in offices and public places shall be implemented depending on local conditions and emergency response level. There are a variety of different protocols for localities and specific response levels, but most include guidelines for opening businesses and business activities.
For more information, visit the website: http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2020-04/08/content_5500241.htm
There are also guidelines for business. The Guidelines on Epidemic Prevention and Control Measures for Enterprises and Institutions to Resume Work and Production requires enterprises to ensure the health of employees using the following measures:
Every employee shall record body temperature before entering their workplace.
Reduce aggregation.
Wear masks in the workplace.
Have lunch separately.
Disinfect workplace and elevators every day.
Provide isolation rooms as a back-up measure.
For more information, visit the website: http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2020-02/22/content_5482025.htm
These guidelines will be in place until the risk of COVID-19 spread is considered to be reduced. At that time, the government will issue another guideline(s) to outline next steps for China.
4. Which governmental authority issued these guidelines, and are they voluntary or mandatory
Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China issues the national-level regulations and guidelines for management and controlling methods for public and business.
Different departments of the government have different duties of issuing guidelines, including:
The National Health Commission has the duty of issuing notices of the current situation of the COVID-19 epidemic, and guidelines for protecting public health.
The Ministry of Public Security issues laws regarding punishing crimes during the epidemic period.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security issues guidelines related to tax and fee reduction policies, labor relationship policies and etc.
For confirmed or suspected cases, the guidelines about isolation and treatment are mandatory. In high risk areas and crowded areas, most guidelines are mandatory, such as wearing masks, measuring temperature and documenting registration of all people entering public indoor places. For healthy people in uncrowded areas, it is voluntary to wear masks. As the epidemic eases in most cities in China, it has gradually become voluntary to wear masks in workplacesand classrooms.
5. Do these mitigation measures have any consequence, such as, if a person does not abide by these measures must they pay a fine or go to jail?
Yes. According to the Article 2 of Opinions on Punishing the Crimes of Obstructing the Preventing and Controlling of COVID-19 Epidemic by Law, for confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases who refuse the medical isolation and enter the public places, resulting in a spread of epidemic, shall be convicted and punished with the crime of obstructing the preventing and controlling of COVID-19 epidemic.
For more information, visit the website: https://www.mps.gov.cn/n6557558/c6903389/content.html
6. Has your country adopted any laws or regulations related to COVID-19?
The Ministry of Public Security issued Opinions on Punishing the Crimes of Obstructing the Preventing and Controlling of COVID-19 Epidemic by Law (as noted above).
For more information of this regulation, visit the following website: http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2020-04/08/content_5500371.htm
The data presented here is not a complete analysis of all COVID-19 information; however, our in-country Partner will provide updates as and when considered appropriate and as relevant data becomes available. If you have any additional questions, or request for country information, please email us at COVID-19@cc-global.com with additional inquiries.
