A letter to foreign friends in Gansu

Dear foreign friends:

On the occasion of the Spring Festival in 2020, we express our heartfelt wishes to you!

According to National Contingency Plan for Public Health Emergencies issued by the State Council, combined the current epidemic prevention and control situation in Gansu, our Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government made a decision: On January 25, 2020, the first-level public health emergency response was initiated and various epidemic prevention efforts have been made efficiently and orderly. Hereby, we advocate the following to all foreigners in Gansu:

I. Please strengthen self-protection with less outdoor activities, avoid crowded places, and reduce group activities such as gatherings and dinners. Please wear masks correctly when going out. Medical surgical masks are preferred. Discarded masks should be placed according to regulations. Maintaining good hygiene habits and paying attention to hand and mouth hygiene.

II. Pay attention to authoritative information. The official website of Health Commission of Gansu Province (wsjk.gansu.gov.cn) will regularly publish information of the novel coronavirus in Gansu. You can also refer to the news released by the National Health Committee of China to learn about the nationwide situation. If you have any questions or suggestions, you can leave a message on the official website mentioned above, or you can call Health Commission of Gansu Province's foreign affairs line: 138 9311 3366 (Mrs. Yuan Ying), and we will respond to your concerns in a timely manner.

III.If you have visited high-risk areas recently or have come in contact with people who come from high-risk areas, please pay close attention to your health, and report to your employer or local community staff as soon as possible. If the community workers or medical staff ask about your health, please provide them with information in a timely manner.

IV. In order to deal with the possible epidemic situation, according to Prevention and Control Work Plan for the Novel Coronavirus in Gansu,102 hospitals for medical treatment have been designated throughout the province. You can visit the official website of Health Commission of Gansu Province for details.

We should stand together to fight the virus.

Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Gansu Province

January 28, 2020