Just a week after historic protests against tighter controls, China is lifting its toughest Covid policies – including forcing people into quarantine camps.
People with Covid can now be isolated at home instead of in state facilities if they have mild or no symptoms.
They also no longer need to show a test for most destinations, and can travel more freely within the country.
Citizens have expressed relief but also concern over the sudden changes.
“Finally! I won’t worry about getting infected or being carried as a close contact anymore,” one person wrote on Chinese social media.
Another said: “Can someone tell me what’s going on? Why is this change so sudden and so big?”
The stark changes indicate that China is finally moving away from its zero-covid policy and is looking to “live with the virus” like the rest of the world. It comes as the country is dealing with its biggest wave of infections – more than 30,000 every day.
Some online users have questioned the rapid opening – “The medical system will be overwhelmed and many seniors will be affected. It starts now,” one user wrote.
But many others welcomed the loosening of the policy that had controlled their lives for nearly three years.
Until now, China had forced people infected with Covid and their close contacts into quarantine camps. This policy was extremely unpopular because it separated families and drove people from their homes.
Poor living conditions and inadequate staffing were also reported in some centres.
Videos throughout the year show guards dragging people out of their homes after they refuse to leave. Footage from Hangzhou that went viral last week showed a man fighting with officers.
China’s National Health Commission announced other new exemptions on Wednesday. He said:
- Their goal was to reduce testing. Background flow tests will replace PCR tests in most scenarios where a result is required, although PCRs are still required for schools, hospitals, and nursing homes.
- Lockdowns will continue but should only apply to more targeted areas – for example, certain buildings, units or floors as opposed to locking down entire neighborhoods or cities.
- Areas identified as “high risk” will come out of lockdown in five days if no new cases are detected. Several Chinese cities have endured months-long lockdowns this year even when there were only a handful of cases.
- If there is no widespread outbreak on campus, schools may remain open with students in attendance.
The new guidelines also include strict bans on fire exits and blocking doors and say people must be able to access emergency medical treatment and escape routes to prevent epidemics.
This follows reports of people being trapped in their homes during the quake and buildings being sealed under lockdown measures.
The recent protests were sparked by a deadly fire in the western Xinjiang region – critics say lockdown measures have prevented victims from escaping the building, which Beijing denies.
