What are China’s “zero Covid” measures that have angered its residents?

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China has adopted very strict “zero COVID” measuresbut that they were not far from what many other countries were doing to try to contain the virus.

However, while most other nations considered the health and safety regulations temporary until vaccines are widely available, China has stuck to its strategy.

Now protests erupted across China in recent days, as people grow fed up with the policy that has confined millions to their homes in an effort to isolate any infection. They also yearn for the freedoms they now enjoy in other parts of the world.

Although China has relaxed anti-virus restrictions in some places, the ruling Communist Party is sticking to its “zero COVID” strategy. Here are some of the regulations.

Testing and quarantine for passengers

arriving travellers a PCR test should be performed before flying to China and being quarantined in a hotel for five days and at home for three days upon arrival.

That might sound harsh, but before they were updated earlier this month, the regulations were stricter: travelers had to undergo two PCR tests before flying and quarantined for seven days in a hotel and three days at home. Previously, the quarantine period was 14 days.

China also ended its “out of the loop” policy whereby it shut down a flight for a week or two if a certain percentage of passengers on board tested positive for COVID-19, with the length of the ban depending by those who had the virus.

Isolation on internal paths

Travelers on domestic flights, trains or buses who have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 must quarantine for five days at designated sitesplus three days at home.

Before the November changes, the quarantine time was longer and even close contacts of a person who had been in close contact with someone who was infected had to be isolated. People who have visited regions of China deemed “high risk” are also required to self-quarantine for seven days at home.

code green

Within China, people must show a “green code” staff, indicating that you have tested negative for COVID, when entering public places such as shopping malls and restaurants, or when using public transport. Everyone has to register with their identification documents and then the code is displayed through an app on their phone.

Staying “green” means not having been infected with COVID-19, not being in close contact with someone with the virus, and not visiting areas considered to be at risk.

If there is an outbreak in an area, local authorities may require regular testing to keep the code green. For example, Beijing residents are currently required to undergo a rapid COVID test. at least every 48 hours in a government approved facility.

Who is confined?

China has reacted quickly and forcefully to any detection of COVID-19, up to enclose entire cities or parts of them. Right now, the central urban area of ​​Chongqing, with about 10.3 million people, is stuck within Guangzhou.

The decision on which zone to block depends on the extent of the outbreak, and minor blockades of buildings, housing estates or city neighborhoods are common.

Entire condo units are shut down if a single resident is found to have COVID, e people cannot go out for at least five days. Food and other essential supplies can be ordered for delivery.

Similarly, office buildings are shut down if someone in the building tests positive for COVID until the building can be sanitized, a process that typically takes several days.

Other restrictions

China has implemented many other regulations that would have been familiar to most of the world from the early months of the pandemic. Social distancing is encouraged and people must wear masks in public places.

In areas where there is thought to be a risk of COVID transmission, restrictions are in place for large gatherings, restaurants are closed for indoor dining, and enhanced disinfection measures are needed in public places.

Like the bubble measures imposed for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, facilities where people are considered most at risk, such as homes for the elderly, they have so-called “closed-loop management” plans.

Source: AP

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