Readers checks on books at the 2019 Shanghai Book Fair in August. [Photo by Xing Yi/chinadaily.com.cn]

The upcoming 2020 Shanghai Book Fair announced its pandemic containment measures on July 5, suggesting visitors to the event, scheduled to take place at the Shanghai Exhibition Center from Aug 12 to 18, make reservations before coming.

"Prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic being an integrated part of public social life now, we give first priority to the safety of people while preparing for the annual Shanghai Book Fair," said Peng Weiguo, deputy president of Shanghai Century Publishing Group Co Ltd.

Century Publishing will decrease its display shelves by 30 percent to ensure visitors can maintain at least 1.2 meters of distance while browsing through the books. Isolation rooms will be set up for people who are sick, feverish or temporarily unwell, before any further medical measures are taken.

The book fair requires all visitors to register with their valid ID when purchasing tickets online. Those who buy tickets offline from the 12 outlets of the Xinhua Bookstore will have to scan a QR code, and register before visiting. "We want to remind people not to come to the Shanghai Book Fair without registering with a valid ID," said Zeng Yuan, a spokesman for the municipal administration of press and publication. Daytime tickets to the fair are priced at 10 yuan, which enables visitors to come from 9 am to 5 pm, and night time tickets, priced at 5 yuan, will cover the period between 6 to 9 pm. There will be no public parking at the fair, Zeng said.

According to Jiang Li, deputy president of Xinhua Media Co Ltd, more than 150 books will be virtually launched at the fair. "Because many authors and guest speakers can't make it to the fair this year, we asked them to have videos shot with highlights from their books and books signed ahead of time so people can buy them at the fair," she said. "We have prepared a sufficient amount of sterilizing products and personal protective gear, and changed the usually crowded pavilion for young readers to a separate space, to restrict the number of people inside."

The leading book distributor and retailer also prepared more than 1,000 sponge covers for microphones in use during the fair. "The covers will be changed after each use, and the microphones disinfected," she said.

A large number of reading events and book launches will take place online and in the more than 150 branch venues around the city.