Employees work in the forging workshop of a factory located in Zhuji, Zhejiang Province in east China, on February 23 (XINHUA)
China's tourism sector has been hit hard by the novel coronavirus outbreak. Fortunately, tourist attractions such as the West Lake in Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province in east China have announced their reopening in an orderly manner. Visitors are asked to wear face masks, accept temperature monitoring and avoid crowding.
However, some people have concerns about the reopening due to requirements of epidemic prevention and control.
Based on the current situation, the reopening of parts of tourist attractions does not run counter to the epidemic prevention and control. According to recent data, except Hubei Province in central China, many places have seen a decline in new cases, indicating the risk of the spread of the disease has reduced.
Although they are not a basic daily necessity, scenic spots can have a positive effect on people who have experienced a long quarantine. These public sites can provide an outdoor venue for them to relax and exercise. Moreover, small tourist agencies and shops in tourist attraction areas are hoping that business will return to normal soon.
It should be emphasized that decisions should be made flexibly according to the changes in the risk level. Taking the West Lake as an example, its reopening is a result of the adjustments in epidemic prevention. In addition, prevention measures such as temperature monitoring and crowd control need to remain in place in near future.
(This is an edited excerpt of an article originally published in The Beijing News on February 21)
