People wearing face masks wait at a public bus stop in Beijing on Saturday. Chinese authorities announced further easing of COVID-19 restrictions with major cities like Shenzhen and Beijing no longer requiring negative tests to use public transport.
Ng Han Guan/AP
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Ng Han Guan/AP
People wearing face masks wait at a public bus stop in Beijing on Saturday. Chinese authorities announced further easing of COVID-19 restrictions with major cities like Shenzhen and Beijing no longer requiring negative tests to use public transport.
Ng Han Guan/AP
BEIJING – Chinese authorities on Saturday announced further easing Limit COVID-19 with major cities like Shenzhen and Beijing no longer requiring a negative test to use public transport.
The slight easing of testing requirements comes even as the daily number of virus infections hits a near-record high, and follows protests over the weekend across the country by people frustrated over the weekend. Strict enforcement of antivirus restrictions is now entering its fourth year, even as the rest of the world has opened up.
Shenzhen’s southern tech manufacturing hub said Saturday that commuters no longer need to present a negative test result for COVID-19 to use public transport or enter shops. pharmacies, parks and tourist attractions.
Meanwhile, the capital Beijing said on Friday that a negative test result is also no longer required for public transport from Monday. However, negative results within the past 48 hours are still required to enter locations such as shopping malls, which have gradually reopened with many restaurants and eateries offering takeout.
This requirement has prompted some Beijing residents to complain that although the city has closed many testing stations, most public places still require COVID-19 testing.
Despite the easing measures, authorities say the “COVID-free” strategy – which aims to isolate everyone infected – remains in place.
On Saturday, Beijing authorities said that because the current wave of COVID-19 was spreading rapidly, it was necessary to “resolutely continue to implement normalized social prevention and control measures”.
The government has reported 33,018 domestic infections in the past 24 hours, of which 29,085 are asymptomatic.
As the rest of the world has learned to live with the virus, China remains the only major country still following the “no COVID” strategy. The policy, in place since the pandemic began, has led to rapid lockdowns and mass testing across the country.
China still applies a mandatory quarantine measure for incoming travelers even if the number of infections is low compared to a population of 1.4 billion.
The recent protests, the largest and most widespread in decades, broke out on November 25 after the apartment fire in the northwestern city of Urumqi, killing at least 10 people.
That raised angry questions online about whether firefighters or victims trying to escape were blocked by locked doors or other anti-virus controls. Authorities deny it, but the deaths have become the focus of public frustration.
The country has seen days of protests across cities including Shanghai and Beijing, with protesters demanding an easing of COVID-19 restrictions. Some have demanded that Chinese President Xi Jinping step down, an unusual public expression in a society where the ruling Communist Party has almost complete control.
Xi’s government has promised to reduce the cost and disruption of control measures but says it will stick with “no COVID”. Health experts and economists predict it will remain at least until mid-2023 and possibly into 2024 while millions of older adults are vaccinated in preparation for the lifting of controls. prevent most visitors from going to China.
Although the government has acknowledged some mistakes, mostly blaming overzealous officials, criticism of government policies can lead to penalties. Former NBA star Jeremy Lin, who plays for a Chinese team, was recently fined 10,000 yuan ($1,400) for criticizing conditions in the team’s quarantine facilities, media reports local media.
On Friday, the World Health Organization’s Emergencies Director, Dr Michael Ryan, said the UN agency was “delighted” to see China relax some of its coronavirus restrictions, saying that “it’s really important for governments to listen to their people when people are struggling.”
