Chinese commercial sites are popular online marketplaces used by citizens from all over the world. On such resources you can find any household trifles, appliances, specialized equipment, accessories. According to statistics, about 1 million parcels from China arrive in Russia every day.
However, due to the coronavirus epidemic, which began to spread rapidly in 2020, many citizens have become less likely to order packages from Chinese platforms due to fear of infection. This is because COVID-19 (coronavirus) was first detected in China. Is it possible to receive parcels from China in connection with the epidemic - many Russians ask this question. The answer will be given below.
Will Aliexpress be closed due to the coronavirus epidemic?
Whether Aliexpress will be closed during the epidemic is the main question of many Russians who are concerned about their health. In January 2020, many Aliexpress users received reports that their packages issued on the eve of the New Year may be delayed. Some Chinese sellers asked in principle to cancel orders from Aliexpress during the epidemic. The Russians attributed such actions to the spread of a new virus that began its spread directly from China itself.
Aliexpress managers explained a little later that these messages were received by buyers not because of the coronavirus, but in connection with the extension of the New Year holidays in the country where the parcels were sent. Against this background, goods arrived in Russia with a significant delay. Therefore, the Russians were asked to abandon them if there is no time to wait.
A little later, when the virus began to be diagnosed in other countries, Aliexpress temporarily suspended its work. Deliveries of products to some countries were limited, the headquarters of the company itself worked in a reduced mode. Already on March 16, 2020, the network received information that 95% of Chinese suppliers with Aliexpress resumed work, and the site itself began to work as usual. Consequently, all orders that were supposed to arrive in Russia last month will be delivered to customers with a slight delay.
Thus, we can say that the Aliexpress website is not closed during the coronavirus epidemic. There are many rumors on the net that the Russian government will ban the delivery of parcels from China due to the increased likelihood of contracting the disease.
All of this news is fake. The Ministry of Health of Russia did not issue a decision to ban the receipt of Chinese parcels.
Problems in the marketplace
Will parcels come from China in connection with the virus - many Russians are concerned about this issue. It is expected that the goods will arrive in the usual mode on the territory of the Russian Federation. The Chinese platform Aliexpress has undergone some changes in its work. Due to the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, the company has temporarily closed its commercial site. Initially, the New Year celebration was extended in China until February 18, which is why many Russians did not receive their parcels on time. Many sellers have suggested that buyers cancel packages due to delays with subsequent refunds.
Further, buyers faced another problem - due to an increase in cases of infection, the work of Aliexpress was temporarily suspended in connection with the coronavirus. Many users were unable to checkout the desired products, follow links or access their profile. The platform has been relaunched today. Aliexpress is working normally. Russians can order the goods they need. All information about the ban on receiving Chinese parcels in the Russian Federation today is fake.
Will parcels arrive from China on time?
Aliexpress does not send parcels to Russia due to the coronavirus - this is evidenced by data from some unreliable sources. This news is wrong. Representatives of the Chinese platform send orders as usual. But, most likely, some goods will arrive a little late. Any delay in delivery will be communicated to the buyer in advance. Those parcels that were issued on New Year's Eve and were not received by the Russians in a timely manner will arrive at the post offices of Russian cities in February-March.
Aliexpress representatives claim that a long wait for buyers will be offered discount coupons and various bonus programs.
Is it possible to receive orders: is it worth being afraid of the virus
Is it safe to receive parcels from China by Russian Post is a question of many concerned citizens. Experts say the chances of transmitting the virus through the mail are negligible. COVID-19, even if it theoretically gets on the parcel, simply will not survive for a long time outside the body. Scientists compared the coronavirus with the SARS virus, which lives outside the body for quite a long time. As a result of experiments, it was found that even this virus lives only 2-3 days in a humid environment and a few hours in a dry one. Therefore, COVID-19 will die almost immediately upon contact with parcels.
Theoretically, it can be assumed that while packing the package, an infected employee from China sneezed on the goods, which were subsequently sent to a buyer from Russia. The pathogenic virus got on the surface and dried up, and upon receiving the parcel and re-entering the humid environment, it activated again and led to human infection. Scientists have suggested that theoretically such an outcome of events is possible. However, the remaining particles of the virus on the product will not be enough to infect infections. Therefore, citizens can not worry about their health and calmly pick up parcels from Aliexpress. Moreover, all vehicles and parcels undergo mandatory disinfection.
Additional protection upon receipt of goods
To be 100% safe, you need to use additional disinfection methods. What to do when visiting the post office:
- pick up and unpack the goods in masks and gloves;
- do not rush to open the package, but leave it for several days under the influence of sunlight. Scientists believe that ultraviolet is one of the best disinfectants;
- use special solutions that kill viruses. It can be Sterillium or Chloramine. They can be sprayed both on the packaging and on the product itself, which came from China;
- if the buyer ordered clothes, it is better to pre-soak them in a special disinfectant solution and then wash them in a washing machine;
- it is recommended to process Chinese products in masks and gloves;
- if the buyer is very worried about the parcel that has arrived, then you can additionally disinfect the room in which it will be located and unpack it in the future;
- if it is not possible to buy pharmacy disinfectants, you can use natural lemon juice or table vinegar. These products are good at killing viruses, microbes and other pathogens;
- you can disinfect the room after unpacking the Chinese parcel using essential oils. For these purposes, you can use the oil of eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary. To disinfect the room, you need to draw clean water into small vessels and add 5-10 drops of the selected product to each of them. You can also use special incense sticks based on essential oils.
It is good if users have a humidifier installed at home. This device maintains the level of humidity in the room at an acceptable level, destroys pathogenic microorganisms and prevents them from multiplying.
The only requirement is that you will need to constantly ensure that there is clean water in the tank.