Chinese Visas, The Coronavirus, China, and You

An evening in Guangzhou, China.
Chinese Visas.

Does the coronavirus have you questioning your upcoming trip to China? Or did you have plans that you’ve cancelled due to fear of contracting the virus? No matter which camp you’re in, we’re here to deliver you the most accurate and up to date information regarding this recent viral outbreak and why it’s such a big deal. We’ll also be going into how this viral outbreak may affect any plans you have for travel to China, and how it may affect pre-existing Chinese Visas. So, let’s take a deep dive into the novel coronavirus and its potential impact on your travel.

What is a Coronavirus?

Viral infections come in many different forms, often times we see them in the form of the flu, or a new dance craze, however flu type and memetic viral infections aren’t the only kind of virus. Enter the coronavirus, since it descends from a lineage alternate to the flu virus, our normal flu vaccines and treatments will not work on the coronavirus. This makes the coronavirus dangerous to those with vulnerable immune systems as there is no way to treat the infected with medicine. We can only wait for those with the virus to fight it off naturally with their own immune system.

But does the coronavirus do anything differently than the flu? Well, no the coronavirus exhibits very flu-like symptoms. This means that anyone who may have perished at the hands of the coronavirus thus far may have also met their end should they have contracted the flu. The issue with this new virus is then, not with the virus itself, but the lack of treatment for it.

Bonus: But Will it Harm Me?

The virus has so far only claimed the lives of those who already have a compromised immune system, or those who have pre-existing medical conditions. If you fit that description, you have good reason to be cautious, but otherwise the virus will most likely result in a few missed weeks of work. The virus has been fatal to one infant so far, it would be wise to avoid traveling to problem areas with children as they have newer (and often weaker) immune systems.

China and the Coronavirus

The coronavirus emerged from China, in the Wuhan region. Experts say the virus may have first been passed from animal to human, most likely while handling seafood at a fish market. This inter-species jump happened at the worst time for China, as Chinese New Year Celebrations have been taking place during the entire length of the viral outbreak. What’s even worse is that what was initially thought to be a strictly animal-to-human transmission process is actually false, and it appears as humans can indeed pass the virus to other humans. What this means for China is that during its greatest celebration of the year, thousands, if not millions, are being exposed to the virus.

This has had an adverse effect on the Chinese economy as citizens are refusing to participate in yearly festivities. No doubt the Chinese government has been covering up the true extent of the issue as to prevent further revenue loss from visiting Chinese expats. What’s worse is that the infected regions are running low on testing kits, which means that the numbers may be much higher due to no fault of the government at all, but rather a strict lack of medical resources. This could mean that the information we have on the virus may not be complete or accurate, since we can’t know for sure how well the infected are doing at the viral point of origin.

Chinese Visas and the Virus

If you are applying for a Chinese Visa during this stressful time, we have some good news, this won’t affect your application process. Chinese consulates and embassies appear to be operating at normal capacity, so it’s as good a time as ever to get a Chinese Visa. With Chinese visas now lasting 10 years, if you already have plans to visit China coming up, it may be more affordable to go ahead and get your visa now rather than waiting later. You can always change your plans after you’ve received your visa after all.

Consulates have not chimed in about the viral outbreak. Be warned that should pressure be high from the mainland, visa applications could stall at any moment. This is why we recommend you start your application process as soon as possible to avoid any mishaps. Now, does this mean you should be going to China right now? Well, maybe not, the CDC has issued a statement warning travelers from going to certain regions of China (Wuhan in particular). On top of this, even Hong Kong has instituted light travel bans on those from mainland China. It appears as the unknown factors revolving around the virus have caused a temporary panic which may impact you depending on when you intend on traveling to China.

The Takeaway

Perhaps now is not the best time to plan a trip to China. Airports may close off service to China at a moment’s notice with mounting pressure from the CDC and Washington. However if you have an application for a Chinese Visa pending, you may as well complete the process now as the visa will last you well past the outbreak of this virus. Assuming the world survives the outbreak that is, you’ll be able to go to China within the next 10 years.

Need Chinese Visas?

If you are in need of a Chinese visa during these dire times, look no further than the China Visa Department. With experience expediting Chinese Visas since 1995, we offer a guarantee on the delivery of your visa application. We offer an all inclusive service, we’ll handle everything from filling out your application to taking your visa photos. Get everything done in one place when you work with us at the China Visa Department.

If you need a visa but haven’t even gotten your passport, you can get a jump start on your application process by visiting The Passport Office. With our ability to render passport services within the same day, depending on your circumstance, we can take you from passport application to visa application within the same week! Call now to make an appointment, or walk-in to any of our offices during business hours for service.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *