China relaxes COVID rules even further, in sign it is preparing its people to live with the disease | World News

China will now allow people with asymptomatic COVID-19 or mild symptoms to be isolated at home in another loosening of rules.

Most COVID cases are asymptomatic infections and mild cases do not require special treatment, the National Health Commission announced.

In the past, people who tested positive for the virus had to be isolated in overcrowded and unsanitary makeshift hospitals.

That’s the biggest sign so far China is preparing its people to live with this disease.

“People without symptoms and mild cases can be isolated at home with enhanced health monitoring and can be transferred to designated hospitals for timely treatment if their condition becomes severe.” worse,” the NHC said.

Earlier this year, entire communities were put on lockdown – sometimes for weeks – after just one positive case was identified.

Less stringent rules last month meant that only affected buildings would be locked down.

The NHC said high-risk areas should be defined by building, apartment, floor and household and not arbitrarily extended to entire neighborhoods and communities.

The health authority called on local governments to “resolutely correct the simplified, one-size-fits-all and additional measures” to prevent COVID and eliminate and overcome it. formalism, bureaucracy”.

The notice said that schools that have not yet detected the disease must return to face-to-face teaching.

For nearly three years, China has adopted some of the most restrictive COVID-19 rules in the world under a “no COVID” policy, managing the virus as a disease on a par with bubonic plague and cholera.

But since last week, top officials have acknowledged the new coronavirus’s pathogenicity has decreased, while Chinese experts say it’s no more dangerous than the seasonal flu.

Yesterday, people in the capital Beijing were allowed to enter parks, supermarkets and offices without presenting proof of a negative test for COVID-19 in another relaxation of the rules.

People no longer need a negative COVID test to ride the subway or enter one of the city’s airports. However, there is no suggestion of changing the rules that require passengers to test negative before boarding.

Last month saw Violent anti-blockade protests represents the biggest public discontent on the mainland since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012.

While protests subsided for days in the face of a strong police response, cities and regions around the country had begun to gradually relax measures ahead of today’s announcement.