This Is What It’s Like to Get Tested for COVID-19 in Beijing

Getting tested for COVID-19 isn’t as bad as you think. At the outset of Beijing's second wave in mid-June, there were a number of videos and photos making the rounds on social media that showed hordes of people standing in haphazard, nebulous lines waiting to get tested. Now that the demand has largely subsided, however, the whole experience is much smoother. In fact, the process at Chaoyang Hospital is an orderly affair with plenty of signage (albeit in Chinese) and on-site staff to guide you through the procedure.

Where: Health Check-Up Center opposite Beijing Chaoyang Hospital's west gate.

When: You can schedule an appointment beforehand on the official WeChat account of the Chaoyang Hospital Health Checkup Center ( 北京朝阳医院健康体验中心, ID: gh_b5950134790). Otherwise, walk-in testing is also available, though you might experience longer wait times.

What to bring: ID Card/Passport and phone

What to expect:

1. As you enter the gate of the health center, you will get your temperature checked (duh) and need to scan the health kit QR code to present your current health code (double duh), plus another QR code to fill in an epidemiological questionnaire (wait, what?). Those without a Chinese ID will need to fill in the epidemiological questionnaire by hand.
2. You will then go into the main reception area where you will present your ID or passport for the receptionists to register your information and print a form with your information on it. For those with a Chinese ID, you simply have to put your ID on a fancy scanner that will verify your information. For those with a passport, the receptionist will enter your information manually.
3. In the same room, you will be able to make your payment (RMB 120) by handing the form given to you by the receptionist to the cashier.
4. Then, you will follow a series of signs in Chinese which will lead you to a hallway with several wards where a medical professional will perform a mouth swab test on you. If you don't read Chinese, either use the translator function on WeChat, or simply look lost for long enough and someone will probably point you in the right direction.
5. And in 24 hours, your test results will come out! If you are a Chinese ID holder, you can access your results from the Health Kit mini program. If not, you will have to go back to the health checkup center to pick it up in person.

Beijing Chaoyang Hospital is located at No. 8 Gongti South Road, Chaoyang District.

Read: Travel Restrictions Eased For Some Beijing Residents

Images: nsnews.com, sohu.com