How was the express package found to be positive two weeks later? More details →

In the early morning of the 15th, Zhongguancun Street in Haidian District, Beijing received a report that the packaging of an express item sent by a resident of Keyuan Community from Xilingol League in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region tested positive.

At present, the nucleic acid test results of close contacts and the environment are all negative, and the residential buildings have been unsealed. How was this "positive courier" discovered? After the "Double Eleven" express delivery volume surged, how should delivery companies and consumers prevent it?

How was the “positive courier” discovered?

The nucleic acid test results of all residents in the recipient's community are negative

The reporter learned from Zhongguancun Street, Haidian District that the recipient of this "positive express" in Beijing currently lives in Unit 2, Building 11, Keyuan Community. The express item that tested positive was a wool sweater sent from Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

How was this "positive express delivery" discovered? The relevant person in charge of Zhongguancun Street sorted out a detailed timeline:

The recipient received the express on the evening of October 31, threw away the outer packaging, and left the non-woven bag wrapping the sweater at home.

On the evening of November 13, the recipient received a call from the Xilingol police in Inner Mongolia, saying that local express parcels had tested positive for the virus.

On the morning of the 14th, the recipient and the Keyuan Community Neighborhood Committee explained the situation, and the neighborhood committee reported it to the Haidian District Center for Disease Control.

On the afternoon of the 14th, the Haidian District CDC went to the recipient's home to collect throat swabs and environmental samples, and the results were negative.

At 4 a.m. on the 15th, the Haidian District Center for Disease Control and Prevention detected a positive result on the non-woven bag used to package the sweater, and the recipient's family of four has been quarantined.

At 8:30 a.m. on the 15th, all residents in the building underwent nucleic acid testing. Units 1, 3, and 4 were lifted from lockdown, and Unit 2 took closure measures.

At 3 pm on the 15th, the nucleic acid test results of all residents in Building 11 of Keyuan Community were negative, and Unit 2 was announced to be unsealed.

All couriers at the express delivery outlets related to the “positive express” have completed two rounds of nucleic acid testing, and the results were negative.

△ Residents of Keyuan Community undergo nucleic acid testing. (Photo source: Haidian Media)

Can the express delivery still test positive two weeks after receiving it?

Staff: No conclusion yet on whether the virus is active

Some citizens have raised questions: How long can the coronavirus survive? Why can a courier package still test positive for the coronavirus two weeks after it was received?

Relevant staff from the Haidian District Center for Disease Control and Prevention explained to the media that there is no consensus in the scientific community on how long the new coronavirus can survive in the environment. The test on express parcels is a test of viral gene fragments. Usually, only two fragments are needed to determine whether it is a virus. As for whether the virus is active, it is impossible to draw a conclusion based on only two fragments.

To ensure that everything goes smoothly, the disease control department decided to take emergency lockdown measures and conduct nucleic acid tests on the people and environment involved to ensure that there are no blind spots in epidemic prevention and to protect the safety of residents.

△ Comprehensive disinfection was carried out in Keyuan Community. (Photo source: Haidian Media)

On November 10, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention released the "Guidelines for Health Protection against the New Coronavirus Pneumonia Epidemic for Takeaway Delivery and Express Delivery Workers", which clearly stated that during the business delivery and distribution links, express delivery tools must be cleaned and disinfected; when signing for express delivery with customers, masks and gloves must be worn to reduce direct contact; and non-contact methods are encouraged to send and receive express delivery.

The reporter randomly visited an outlet of a courier company in Xicheng District, Beijing. The person in charge of the outlet introduced that the site is disinfected twice a day in the morning and evening; the express parcels are disinfected while being unloaded; the couriers are tested for nucleic acid regularly; and now everyone is organized to get booster shots of the new crown vaccine.

△Staff members are conducting disinfection in a courier outlet

How to send and receive express delivery safely?

Experts: Try not to bring express packaging into your home

Recently, the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued a reminder on sending and receiving express deliveries. During the epidemic prevention and control period, do not mail-order goods from high-risk overseas areas unless it is necessary, and be cautious when mail-ordering goods from areas in China where local epidemics have been reported.

How to send and receive express delivery safely? Zhang Liubo, chief expert in disinfection at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suggests:

In high- and medium-risk areas, express delivery and receipt should be stopped, and couriers should also strengthen health monitoring;

To protect the express during transit, the surface of the express should be disinfected when it is received and during centralized sorting, usually with disinfectant spray or ultraviolet irradiation;

When receiving express delivery, you must protect yourself. In addition to wearing masks and gloves, try not to bring express packaging into the house. It is best to dismantle it outside. If you bring it home, you can wipe the outer packaging with disinfectant paper towels and spray disinfectant directly on the surface. After handling, be sure to do a good job of hand hygiene.

Recently, positive nucleic acid test results of express delivery and food packaging have been reported in many places. Beijing has also received multiple letters of cooperation on positive nucleic acid test results of express packaging and has detected positive results. Epidemiological investigations, nucleic acid testing, close contact isolation and terminal disinfection and other control measures have been carried out.

At present, it is the peak period for sending and receiving express parcels. It is necessary to carry out inspection and disinfection of key links such as e-commerce, logistics, and cold chain, and employees should take personal protection, health monitoring and other prevention and control measures. During the normalized epidemic prevention and control period, do not mail order goods from high-risk areas abroad unless necessary, and be cautious about mail ordering goods from areas where local epidemics have been reported in China. Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention reminds express delivery employees and citizens to pay attention to protection when sending and receiving express delivery:
Express delivery workers should carry out nucleic acid testing, health monitoring and other prevention and control measures as required, and complete the new coronavirus vaccine booster shot vaccination as soon as possible. If there are symptoms such as fever, dry cough, fatigue, sore throat, decreased sense of smell (taste), diarrhea, etc., they should actively report to the unit and seek medical treatment in time, and should not work while sick. Contactless delivery is advocated, and items can be placed in express cabinets, centralized express storage points in the community or at the doorsteps of residents to achieve contactless delivery. During the entire delivery service, masks and gloves should be worn correctly to reduce direct contact, maintain a social distance of more than 1 meter when talking, and pay attention to good personal hygiene habits such as maintaining hand hygiene and not spitting. Delivery boxes, vehicles, work clothes, mobile phones and other related items should be kept clean and hygienic, and preventive disinfection should be carried out when necessary. Citizens should wear masks correctly when sending and receiving express delivery, and can wear disposable gloves to reduce direct contact and communication. Try to store and retrieve at a fixed location to achieve contactless handover. If you need to sign for the express in person, you should keep a distance of more than 1 meter from the courier. When removing express parcels, chlorine-containing disinfectants can be used for disinfection. Try to disassemble the items outdoors, and do not take the outer packaging home. Dispose of it according to the classification of household waste. Take off your gloves immediately after handling the package, wash your hands carefully, and avoid touching your mouth, eyes, and nose with unclean hands. Source: CCTV News WeChat Official Account, Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention Official Account