Nearly 3 years into the COVID-19 pandemic, G20 leaders are meeting on the Indonesian hotel island of Bali with strict testing and masking requirements, even as those measures have largely been abandoned in some member countries.
This is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first G20 summit, and only his time abroad, since the pandemic began, as his country continues its zero-COVID isolation and quarantine policy, which are among the strictest in the world.
Other G20 countries have put in place various social measures and conventions for the coronavirus, which has so far inflamed 631 million people worldwide and killed almost 6. 6 million, vaccines have especially reduced the mortality rate.
Below is a review of the summit protocols and some of the divergent approaches of G20 countries related to COVID-19.
WHAT ARE THE SUMMIT’S COVID POLICIES?
Indonesia, which holds the presidency of the G20, has strict protocols, adding mask safeguards, frame temperature checks, antigen tests and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swabs, to avoid the threat of spreading the virus.
The Nusa Dua district hosts the summit and has been closed since November 11 and will remain so until November 17.
Four mini extensive care units, 23 clinics and thirteen “mobile medical teams” will be deployed at the summit, totaling more than 400 medical staff.
Seven hospitals, with a total of 1,350 beds, have been designated to accommodate summit attendees who may wish to be isolated by COVID-19. The KRI Wahidin Sudirohusodo military dispatch will also be deployed in front of Nusa Dua as a “floating hospital”.
CHINA
China maintains one of the strictest COVID restrictions in the world, but eased some measures on Friday, adding shorter quarantines for close contacts of other inflamed people and incoming travelers and a fine for airlines for filing too many cases.
Under the new rules, quarantine periods at centralized sites for close contacts and travelers are reduced from seven to five days.
China will also avoid identifying ‘secondary’ contacts
by identifying contacts.
JAPAN
In Japan, most people on the streets continue to wear face masks, the government has asked them to avoid doing so outdoors. Most places and public transportation still require other people to wear a face mask.
The country lifted near-emergency restrictions in Tokyo and 17 other prefectures in March, aimed at restricting the hours of restaurants and other businesses, as new infections had dropped significantly.
Japan, which has some of the strictest pandemic border measures among major economies, eliminated pre-departure COVID-19 testing needs for travelers in August and increased limits for participants.
UNITED STATES
Almost all COVID regulations in the U. S. have been reassurable, and the recommendations of the U. S. Centers for Disease Control have been calm. States and major cities no longer require the use of masks in transit hubs. There are few needs for others to provide evidence of vaccination or negative tests, but with some exceptions for schools, universities, and health workers.
The CDC recommends that other people on public transportation and at transportation hubs wear masks, but this is no longer mandatory on airlines or in federal buildings. In June, it lifted the requirement that other people arriving in the country by air test negative for COVID-19. But most foreign visitors arriving by air still want to provide evidence of COVID vaccination.
GERMANY
All major restrictions, plus work-from-home requirements, expired on March 20, the wearing of a medical-grade mask on public transport and long-distance trains remains mandatory.
Germany has eased COVID-19 restrictions in stages, starting with allowing private indoor gatherings for others vaccinated or recovered from the virus in February, and completing non-essential checks for evidence of vaccination or a negative test.
Starting in March, it increased the maximum duration allowed for events to another 25,000 people and nightclubs reopened for recipients of three doses of the vaccine or two doses of the vaccine plus a negative COVID test.
ARGENTINA
Argentina, among the countries with the highest per capita deaths in the world, along with its Latin American neighbors, relaxed strict border controls, allowed more advertising activities and lifted the mandate of outdoor masks, recommending their use indoors.
SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa, which has recorded the peak of coronavirus cases and deaths on the African continent, said in June it had repealed COVID-19 regulations that made masks mandatory in indoor public spaces, limited the duration of gatherings and imposed access at its borders.
INDIA
India began easing movement restrictions in the middle of last year to allow more businesses to operate. International agreements are now largely at the pre-pandemic level.
India relaxed its regulations on testing, quarantine and hospital admissions in January to free up resources for those most in need, but still recommends social distancing, hand washing and wearing masks. Rules about masks vary from state to state.
Mandatory testing for contacts of the cases shown was reduced earlier this year unless they were elderly or suffering from other conditions, and the isolation era was partly reduced to one week. Hospitals were asked to treat only the seriously ill.
TURKEY
Turkey eased most of its coronavirus brakes in March, nearly two years after the first case was identified, and lifted its indoor mask mandate in May.
In March, fitness officials said fighting the disease would be more individual than social and that other people without symptoms would not be screened.
The other strictest people when it came to masking were Japan, Taiwan and Korea. Everyone has been controlling the world since June in covid cases.
So 2021 doesn’t matter anymore.
In Japan, most people on the streets continue to wear face masks, the government has asked them to avoid doing so outdoors.
In Japan, most people are unaware of their government.
The Nihon-jin are right and ahead of the rest of the world as always: the pandemic is not over, stay masked!