China is reinforcing its epidemic zero-tolerance policy for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year in a bid to cut off population flows for and to ensure the smooth running of the Olympic games. Transient workers are being threatened with jail if they return to their hometowns with “malicious intent” and some local authorities have encouraged the reporting of close contacts with infected cases by offering incentives.
On Jan. 20, Bincheng municipal authority in Shandong Province announced a reward of 100–500 yuan ($16–$78) for those who report information on the prevention and control of Delta variant and Omicron transmission. Information considered valuable includes people withholding personal residence history when traveling to other regions and overseas, people concealing individual movement in close contact with infected cases, suspected cases, asymptomatic infected persons, people going out privately during home surveillance; and people gathering at meetings, temples, and ceremonies.
