All Signs Point to Home Quarantine for Postive Covid Cases

Multiple people in Beijing are reporting first-hand that they or people they know have been allowed to quarantine at home after testing positive for Covid, rather than being send to a centralized Covid treatment facility.

However, this is definitely not a universal guarantee, as it depends on your living situation and how likely it is that your illness can be transmitted to others. In other words, if you’re living in a big apartment or house on your own, it could be easier to negotiate. But if you’re in a smaller living space like a crowded hutong or with roommates, this may not be possible.

This is according to evidence and direct experiences put forward by members of our Safe & Sane WeChat groups, who have asked to remain anonymous, as well as multiple messages that have been sent in various other WeChat groups indicating that this is indeed the case.

The news was also echoed by a recent article published by Bloomberg News, which states low-risk individuals with Covid can isolate at home for a week or so if they choose.

Conditions in which at-home quarantine for positive cases can be carried out have been laid out in an article in 首都之窗 Shoudu Zhi Chuang (link in Chinese), which include proper ventilation, disinfection guidelines, and use of a separate toilet and living space if the individual is in a shared apartment or home.

This news comes on the heels of a meeting between China’s Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan and top public health and medical experts in Beijing, reports China Daily. During the meeting, Sun said China will take “small steps” to further upgrade epidemic control policies in light of the less virulent Omicron strain and disease response experience.

There has as of yet not been any official announcement on the potential of at-home quarantine across the board for people who test positive with Covid -- or what this might mean for building lockdowns moving forward.