If you are preparing to travel to China, you might want to consider postponing, but if it is absolutely neccessary, here a couple of essential things to know.

First, China has some of the most arbitrary and draconian Covid-19 laws in the world right now. There is simply no other nation on earth taking the precautionary measures that they are. While most of the world have abandoned all Covid-19 regulations, China is still doing lockdowns.

According to the United States State Department’s official website, China is using Covid-19 measures to conduct wrongful detentions. “Reconsider travel to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the PRC’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR),” says the first sentence of the State Departments Travel Advisory for China. “…due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws and COVID-19-related restrictions. Exercise increased caution in the PRC due to wrongful detentions.”

Next, before you even depart for China, you will need to have a properly certified vaccination, updated booster shot, and Covid-19 test in hand. You will also need to board your flight in a head-to-toe protective suit, including a full body garment, hood covering your head, face mask, eye googles, gloves, and a covering over your shoes. You will absolutely not be able to remove any of the protective gear during the entire duration of the flight. Note: a flight from New York City JFK Airport to Beijing is about 21 hours depending on windspeed and time on the tarmac.

Below is a picture of what every passenger must wear when traveling to China.

Once you arrive, be prepared for the absolute mayhem of additional testing, waiting, shuffling from station to station before ever reaching your quarantine destination. If you test positive for Covid-19, you and your family will be immediately removed and taken to a separate government facility. If you don’t test positive, but have been sat beside someone who does – you will be removed and taken to a separate government facility.

When you finally arrive at your quarantine destination (government selected hotel or facility) after several hours at the airport, you will not be permitted to ever leave your room or have contact with outsiders. Your door will be monitored by camera and your quarantine will be enforced by law enforcement officials if you come out of your room. You will be tested for Covid-19 every single day. If you test positive, during your isolation period, you will not be permitted to stay in your room. You will be immediately transferred to a government-designated medical facility.

Standards of care, accommodations, testing, and treatments are not the same standards as in western countries. People have reported extremely unsanitary and crowded conditions, limited access to food, and delayed access to medical treatment. Reports of infant children being ripped from their families, chained to beds, and forced to live for weeks without any contact with their parents have been frequently reported.

If you are fortunate enough to make it out of quarantine without any incidents, you are still not out of the forest. You will need to keep a constant supply of food, water, and medical items that are able to last you for at least two weeks. China has been conducting some of the most intense lockdowns in the world. They are called “dynamic static management of COVID-19 risks,” and can occur in any city, at any time, and can last for weeks, sometimes months. When this happens without warning, residents do not have time to purchase an adequate amount of food and supplies. To enforce the lockdowns, China has been known to erect entire fences around buildings, so that residents cannot sneak out to get food or supplies in the night.

With other nations in Asia like Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand completely doing away with the majority of their travel restrictions, it is assumed that China will also follow, but there is no indication that this will happen any time this year.