Beijing requires all the residents to hold negative results of nucleic acid tests taken within 48 hours before entering any public places in the city, including scenic areas, hotels and homestays during the May Day holiday starting on Saturday, in order to control the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

After the five-day holiday, all the students and workers should hold negative results of nucleic acid tests taken within 48 hours when returning to school or going back to work, said Xu Hejian, spokesman of the municipal government, at a news conference on Friday.

The third round of the nucleic acid testings was launched on Friday and will continue on Saturday in many districts of the capital and the public should take the tests with good virus prevention measures, said Li Ang, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Health Commission.