Even today, the first day back to work, many businesses remain closed while employees are allowed to work from home. Beijing’s busiest subway lines are nearly empty today. The few commuters in the morning rush hour wear masks. Schools remain closed until further notice.
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Technology company Tencent also said it will continue to require employees to work from home until February 21.
In Shanghai, the government is taking a flexible approach to resuming business operations today. Shanghai is also encouraging companies to offer flexible working hours for employees and, if possible, allow them to work from home. Companies that have resumed operations must ensure that their workplaces have proper ventilation and avoid using air conditioning systems, which can spread the coronavirus.
People wearing masks on the streets of Shanghai
The government of Shenzhen, where more than 65% of the population (about 8.2 million people) are migrant workers, has also encouraged businesses to take a flexible approach. Several large companies in the city have announced that they will not resume production today. Shenzhen has also announced a series of measures to support local businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak, including tax cuts and subsidized loans.
In Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, officials are trying to address the need for companies to continue operating while also trying to allay local concerns that returning migrant workers could bring the coronavirus with them.
Wuhan residents wearing masks buy food at the supermarket
The acute pneumonia epidemic caused by nCoV started in Wuhan city in early December 2019. The epidemic has spread to 31 provinces and cities of mainland China and 26 countries and territories with the number of infected cases increasing to more than 40,000. The number of deaths per day continues to set records, with 91 cases recorded on February 9, according to data from the National Health Commission of China, bringing the total number of deaths due to the corona virus to 904, far exceeding the number of 774 people who died from SARS.
