The Chinese language authorities on Wednesday introduced 10 new COVID-19 response tips for relieving its stringent pandemic restrictions, sending a transparent sign that it’s drastically altering its nearly three years of imposing a strict “zero COVID-19” coverage.
The relaxed measures had been launched days after protests broke out in main cities and campuses throughout China towards “zero COVID-19” guidelines — repeated lockdowns, mass testing and compelled quarantine — with protesters urging the federal government to carry its strict management measures, whereas additionally displaying dissent towards censorship.
Among the greatest adjustments embrace permitting residence quarantine for contaminated folks with gentle or no signs, limiting lockdowns to “high-risk areas” for shorter durations, a strict ban on blocking hearth exits and doorways, scrapping the requirement to point out a unfavorable check consequence or well being code for a lot of venues and home journey, and a authorities vow to speed up vaccination among the many aged.
Chinese language officers and state-controlled media have dramatically shifted their tone, emphasizing that the Omicron subvariant of SARS-CoV-2 is weaker than earlier strains and that the majority instances are both asymptomatic or have gentle signs. They stated that the coverage changes are “science-based,” and blamed extreme management measures on native officers.
“The nation is dealing with a brand new state of affairs and new duties in epidemic prevention and management because the pathogenicity of the Omicron virus weakens, extra persons are vaccinated and expertise in containing the virus has been accrued,” Chinese language Vice Premier Solar Chunlan (孫春蘭) stated final week.
Over the previous few days, Chinese language media have repeatedly broadcast interviews or cited specialists saying that Omicron “is just not scary,” because the overwhelming majority of contaminated folks can absolutely recuperate, it has a decrease threat of inflicting extreme sickness and the fatality charge is far decrease than that of earlier variants.
Nonetheless, public well being specialists in different international locations have expressed considerations that the Chinese language authorities has not finished sufficient to organize for a large-scale outbreak, with an anticipated surge in extreme instances and deaths, whereas many Chinese language appear to be confused and unsure about what lies forward — tens of millions of lives might be at stake.
Though uncertainty persists round China’s low vaccine uptake among the many aged, inadequate intensive care items, uneven distribution of healthcare sources and low virus publicity, many specialists are watching rigorously, however don’t appear nervous concerning the direct impact a surge in instances in China might have on different international locations, as journey has been curbed on account of China’s tight border controls.
Nonetheless, with greater than 150,000 Taiwanese registered as dwelling in China final yr, and plenty of businesspeople and college students touring between Taiwan and China, Beijing’s sudden COVID-19 coverage adjustments have left Taiwanese asking if it might convey a brand new wave of infections to the nation.
The Central Epidemic Command Heart (CECC) and a number of other well being specialists stated that Taiwan has skilled two waves of Omicron infections this yr, with greater than 8.3 million folks having been contaminated and a excessive two-dose vaccination charge of 88.6 %, with booster protection of 74.4 %, so Taiwanese have some safety towards the virus.
Nonetheless, the CECC warned that as most international locations skilled overwhelmed healthcare techniques when confronted with massive outbreaks, folks meaning to journey to China ought to be cautious, and remember that medical and different important providers might be disrupted. A surge in instances might crowd out non-COVID-19 healthcare providers, so susceptible or unvaccinated persons are suggested to rethink journey plans to China, and to make use of healthcare providers in Taiwan.
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