Coronavirus: as millions are vaccinated, foreigners in China seek clarity over how and when to get the jab
- American Chamber of Commerce calls for better coordination between the vaccine plan and testing to make travel easier
- A foreign restaurant worker in Beijing said he was not offered the vaccine but vaccinated Chinese colleagues gave him some protection
With only a few countries approving vaccines from China and other nations, they are also struggling with the possible impact on their travel plans.
“European citizens in China are asking a lot of questions and they don’t get answers,” said Nicolas Chapuis, the European Union’s ambassador in Beijing. “Some companies only vaccinated the Chinese employees, but not foreigners. Some other companies vaccinated everybody.”
Ker Gibbs, president of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Shanghai, said the group was also confused about whether a person’s nationality determined whether they qualified for vaccination in the current roll-out.
“Some of the high priority industries, like international schools, have been offered the vaccine and there is no distinction between foreign or local passport holders. Then, in other high priority industries, there is a distinction made. We’re a little bit confused about that.”
Some countries, such as the United States and France, have no plan at the moment to vaccinate individual citizens in foreign countries and instead advise them to follow local guidelines. The strict quarantine and travel restrictions in China make it difficult for foreigners to travel home or abroad to be vaccinated.