Citizens prepare for Spring Festival despite COVID-19 measures

Although Yang Yang likes traveling, the Beijinger has decided to stay at home for the upcoming Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, which falls on Feb 12.

The bank employee has preordered takeaway from one of China's best-known roast duck chain restaurants Quanjude for his family banquet on Spring Festival's eve.

"It's the family atmosphere that matters for the celebration," said Yang, 34.

Compared with last Lunar New Year, when their family trip to the resort province of Hainan was shortened by the epidemic, Yang feels more at ease. "After a year's efforts in containing the spread of the virus, we have become used to life with prevention and control measures," he said.

Chinese people are embracing their most important festival this year with a variety of planned celebrations, despite the recent local resurgence of coronavirus in some areas.

The Chinese mainland on Monday reported 82 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 69 locally transmitted and 13 arriving from outside the mainland, the National Health Commission said Tuesday.