China begins to ease strict ‘covid zero’ policy after ‘unusual’ wave of protests

Chinese authorities have shown themselves open to easing the strict zero covid policy, present for almost three years in the country, after the protests that took over the streets of several cities in the country over the weekend. In a speech on Wednesday, 30, to the National Health Commission (CNS), Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chunlan said that the omicron variant of the virus is losing strength and vaccination is increasing, according to the state health agency. Xinhua news. The vice-premier said that there is “a new situation, which requires new tasks”. On Tuesday, the authorities announced the acceleration of vaccination in the elderly – only 65.8% of the population aged over 80 completed the vaccination schedule. The irritation with the anti-covid policy of the China, which includes severe lockdowns, has sparked protests in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The government defended the repression of the demonstrations, but the authorities also showed signs of changes in the strategy to combat the pandemic, among them, for example, the non-mandatory requirement for the elderly and people who study or work remotely to undergo daily health checks. PCR tests. This measure applies to Beijingand city residents will need to present a negative test result of less than 48 hours to gain access to public places.

In Guangzhou, a major industrial hub, the requirement for a multi-week lockdown has been lifted. Chongqing allowed close contacts of people with Covid-19 can remain quarantined at home as long as they meet certain requirements, a change in the rules that forced them to follow for isolation facilities. These changes come at a time when China is grappling with the worst wave of Covid-19 in the pandemic. This Thursday, 35,800 cases were registered – the vast majority asymptomatic – in a country of 1.4 billion inhabitants. Some analysts consider that these changes could result in the end of the rigid ‘covid zero’ policy. “We believe that the Chinese authorities are changing to a ‘living with covid’ posture, as demonstrated by the rules that allow people to be isolated at home, and not to be taken to quarantine centers”, says a statement from ANZ analysts. Research. Protests like those registered in China in recent days have not been seen since the pro-democracy movement of 1989. It is not common for China to register demonstrations across the territory.

*With information from AFP