The traumatic memories brought by nucleic acid testing cannot be erased from the minds of people in mainland China. During the past three years of the pandemic, countless individuals braved the cold weather to line up for nucleic acid testing. Recently, a hospital in Langfang, Hebei Province issued a notice to “refund nucleic acid testing fees”, which sparked a wave of discussions after being reported by multiple mainland Chinese media outlets, stirring up controversy on the internet. Various sources have emphasized that the refunds are only applicable to specific groups of people.
On May 20th, some residents in Langfang, Hebei Province reported receiving a text message from Langfang People’s Hospital, stating that they are required to refund nucleic acid testing fees from 2020 to 2021, as mandated by higher authorities. Residents can go to the hospital’s finance department with their identification cards during working hours from May 20th to June 20th to proceed with the refund.
Many residents expressed confusion and concern, fearing that this could be a scam. Several mainland Chinese media outlets reported that staff at Langfang People’s Hospital confirmed the authenticity of the refunds.
On May 21st, Wang Baobao, a lawyer from Shanxi Junhan Law Firm, stated that since the refund of nucleic acid testing fees from previous years has not yet been implemented nationwide, people are more alert to potential scams. There is a possibility that fraudsters may take advantage of the situation, so everyone should be vigilant.
He suggested that before hospitals send out refund notifications via text messages, they should first release relevant information on their official website, including details on the refund process, timing, and locations. This way, when people receive the text messages related to refunds, they do not have to worry about falling victim to scams.
On the afternoon of the 21st, the finance department of Langfang People’s Hospital told The Paper that only patients who had undergone nucleic acid testing from February 2020 to December 2021 are eligible for refunds. On that day, “a large number of people were queuing up for refunds.” Only patients who meet the specified criteria and have received the text message can proceed with the refund process.
Responding to Dahe Daily·Yushi Video’s “Seeing” program, staff members from the Langfang City 12345 helpline confirmed the nucleic acid testing refunds, stating that “currently (refunds) are only applicable to Langfang People’s Hospital, and those who have received the text message can proceed with the refund.”
Staff members from Langfang City 12345 also told Red Star News that the city hospital is currently processing refunds in batches, with refunds only applicable to nucleic acid testing conducted at People’s Hospital, and they have not received any information regarding refunds from other hospitals.
On the afternoon of the 21st, a staff member from the propaganda department of Langfang Municipal Health Commission stated that the hospital-initiated refund is indeed happening.
A staff member from the Guangyang District Health Bureau in Langfang City mentioned that they are not clear about this matter and have not received any relevant documents at the moment.
Although other places in Hebei have also issued notices about nucleic acid testing refunds, as reported by Red Star News, on the 21st, some residents in Langfang said they were not aware of this matter and had only seen discussions related to it in WeChat groups.
After the news of nucleic acid testing refunds in Langfang was reported by multiple media outlets, it quickly stirred up discussions online. Many netizens questioned the circumstances surrounding this issue. Nucleic acid testing was a common practice during the pandemic and a necessary procedure for everyone’s travels. So why are refunds being issued now? Should other cities follow suit?
Searching online sources, it was found that Tianjin, Guangxi, and Xinjiang have also quietly announced nucleic acid testing refunds in the past. They all emphasized that not everyone is eligible for refunds.
During the pandemic, without nucleic acid testing, people’s travel codes and health codes would change, impacting their ability to access modes of transportation such as airplanes, subways, and high-speed trains, as well as some shopping malls and grocery stores. It was common to see many people lining up early in the morning for nucleic acid testing.
At that time, companies offering nucleic acid testing were making significant profits, while instances of fraudulent nucleic acid testing were also exposed. These events have left a lasting impact on the people of mainland China.