China announced on Wednesday a general relaxation of anti-COVID health rulesabandoning the restrictive strategy against the coronavirus that has generated a historic wave of protests across the country.
Uncomfortable for China’s “zero COVID” policy, it implies sudden confinements, continuous tests and quarantines even for uninfected people, it has led to demonstrations not seen since the pro-democracy movement of 1989.
Authorities have tried to crack down on these protests but, at the same time, have begun responding to demands, first locally and now nationwide.
A new guide to measuring
New guidelines unveiled on Wednesday by the National Health Commission (CNS) indicate that the extent and scope of PCR testing (nearly routine sub-zero COVID) will be reduced.
Also blocks will be minimized and people with mild cases of COVID will be able to self-isolate at home instead of being sent to government facilities.
Also, the population it must not display a green health code on your phone to enter buildings and public spaces, with the exception of “nursing homes, medical institutions, day care centers and centers of middle and higher education”.
“Infected people asymptomatic and mild cases those who can self-isolate at home will generally self-isolate at home,” ending the requirement to quarantine at a government facility, the new rules say.
“Massive PCR testing will only be done in high-risk schools, hospitals, nursing homes and work units. The scope and frequency of PCR testing will be further reduced“, they add.
Also, “persons traveling between provinces it should not give a test result within the previous 48 hours and should not be tested upon arrival.
China will also speed up vaccination of the elderly population, long seen as a major obstacle to easing its zero covid policy.
Demonstrations against the Communist Party’s restrictive policy erupted across the country late last month. Some have called for more political freedoms or even the resignation of President Xi Jinping.
Since then, several Chinese cities have lifted some of the most annoying restrictions.
The capital Beijing, with many businesses already fully reopened, said this week that citizens do not need to present a negative test in the last 48 hours to access public transport.
Shanghai, what he underwent a harsh two-month confinement It announced similar measures this year and will allow its residents to enter open places such as parks and tourist attractions without presenting a recent test.
media change
Even the state-controlled media, once full of sad news about the dangers of the virus and the havoc wrought in other countries, drastically softened the tone to minimize the risk of infection.
The prevalent omicron variant “is not at all like last year’s delta variant,” medical professor Chong Yutian said in an article published by the Communist Party’s China Youth Daily.
“After being infected with the omicron variant, the the vast majority will have mild or no symptomsand very few will develop severe symptoms,” he said.
But analysts at the Japanese company Nomura calculated that on Monday still 53 cities in Chinawith a third of the national population, he maintained the restrictions.
The developments are “baby steps” in a gradual process to lift restrictions, Liang Wannian, a member of an expert committee advising the National Health Commission, said at a news conference.
“We will follow it, study it and judge it, and analyze it again,” said Liang, a top epidemiology expert in the country.
The government’s goal, he added, is “return to pre-pandemic statebut the achievement of this objective must have conditions”.
The economic impact of “zero COVID”
Wednesday’s announcement came hours after the government released new data showing the strong economic impact of the “zero COVID” policy.
Chinese imports and exports dropped in November to levels not seen since early 2020, when the pandemic crippled the country.
Imports fell 10.6% year on year in November, according to the General Administration of Customs. Exports decreased by 8.7% in the same period.
Source: AFP and AP
Source: Clarin
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.