• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

1

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Health

Beijing orders all residents who bought cold medicine to test for COVID-19—or face consequences

By
Yvonne Lau
Yvonne Lau
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Yvonne Lau
Yvonne Lau
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 24, 2022, 7:47 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

City authorities in Beijing—China’s capital and the host city of the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympic Games—are requiring all residents who bought cold medicine to undergo COVID-19 testing within 72 hours of their purchase, the Beijing Municipal Health Commission announced on Sunday.

Residents who don’t comply with the testing order will face movement restrictions, the Commission said. Residents who purchased common cold medicine to help with coughs and sore throats, along with antivirals and antipyretics (medicine like ibuprofen, which helps headache and fever), will be responsible for undergoing testing—and will receive a notification via the state’s contact tracing app to get tested, says a Bloomberg report.

In mainland China—one of the last places in the world that adheres to a strict zero-COVID policy—government authorities track citizens through a contact tracing app to help contain COVID-19 infections. The state-mandated app requires all citizens to input their phone numbers and government identification (whether their passport or national ID card number) and fill out a questionnaire about their travel history and current symptoms. The app assigns each citizen a color code, which dictates if, and where the person is allowed to travel, or orders the person to stay home.

In recent weeks, COVID flareups have hit several Chinese cities—including Beijing—and officials have responded with stringent measures as they attempt to stamp out infections ahead of the Olympic Games, which begins in less than two weeks.

In Xi’an, a city in central China, authorities only recently lifted a city-wide lockdown that trapped its 13 million residents at home for a month. At the same time, Beijing officials have also launched a mass testing drive in the city’s Fengtai district—home to two million people—where the majority of Beijing’s COVID cases have been detected in the last 10 days. Meanwhile in Shanghai, shoppers were trapped in Uniqlo, a popular Japanese clothing chain, for two days while city authorities tested them for COVID-19 after one positive case visited the shop.

While China’s current situation is “controllable, the current epidemic prevention situation is still grim and complicated… the city must act proactively and swiftly,” said Xu Hejian, spokesperson for the Beijing city government.

Organizers of the Beijing Olympic games on Monday confirmed 78 positive COVID cases among Olympics personnel who arrived in the city from Jan. 4 to Jan. 23 via its “closed loop” travel system which separates the Games personnel from regular travelers. One identified case was an individual who is an athlete or team official.

Meanwhile in the special autonomous region of Hong Kong—which is also sticking to a zero-COVID policy—city authorities are trying to snuff out the virus through mass lockdowns of residential buildings, social distancing measures, and even a mass cull of hamsters and other small animals.

Beijing’s health commission added that the “flow of people is more frequent as the Spring Festival (China’s New Year holiday, when residents usually travel home) is approaching. The Winter Olympics… are about to be held, and the epidemic prevention and control cannot be relaxed for a moment. We hereby remind the citizens to earnestly enhance their awareness and fulfill their personal responsibility for prevention and control.”

Never miss a story: Follow your favorite topics and authors to get a personalized email with the journalism that matters most to you.

About the Author
By Yvonne Lau
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

3 million Americans have dropped Obamacare health coverage over past year, after Republicans let federal subsidies expire
HealthHealth Insurance
3 million Americans have dropped Obamacare health coverage over past year, after Republicans let federal subsidies expire
By Ali Swenson and The Associated PressJune 27, 2026
7 hours ago
g
EuropeGermany
It’s so hot in Germany the Autobahn literally burst open at the seams and had to be closed down
By Kirsten Grieshaber, Sylvia Hui, John Leicester and The Associated PressJune 27, 2026
13 hours ago
Best Beef Organ Supplements (2026): Expert Tested and Reviewed
HealthDietary Supplements
Best Beef Organ Supplements (2026): Expert Tested and Reviewed
By Emily PharesJune 26, 2026
1 day ago
Yes, Europe’s heat waves are deadlier than American gun violence
EnvironmentEurope
Yes, Europe’s heat waves are deadlier than American gun violence
By Catherina GioinoJune 26, 2026
1 day ago
Best Walking Pads of 2026: Walk While You Work
HealthDietary Supplements
Best Walking Pads of 2026: Walk While You Work
By Emily PharesJune 26, 2026
1 day ago
Vital proteins collagen
HealthDietary Supplements
Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Review (2026): Our Personal Experience
By Christina SnyderJune 26, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
17 hours ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
3 days ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
4 days ago
The 33-year-old executive Satya Nadella is trusting to fix Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant
AI
The 33-year-old executive Satya Nadella is trusting to fix Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant
By Sebastian HerreraJune 27, 2026
18 hours ago
The end of Putin’s regime will spring from war spending chaos, former central bank advisor says, amid military mutiny threat and fuel-shortage brawls
Europe
The end of Putin’s regime will spring from war spending chaos, former central bank advisor says, amid military mutiny threat and fuel-shortage brawls
By Jason MaJune 27, 2026
9 hours ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.