In China, despite the high number of new infections, further corona requirements are being relaxed. Test stations were closed and dismantled in the capital Beijing on Saturday. A negative test is no longer necessary for going to the supermarket, and from Monday the subway can also be used again without such proof. However, to enter offices and other buildings, it is still necessary to show that there is no corona infection.
Long queues therefore continued to form at the remaining test stations. In Shenzhen, too, local public transport can be used again without a corona test, and access to parks is also possible without restrictions. The cities of Chengdu and Tianjin had already announced this.
No turning away from the zero Covid strategy
Last weekend there were protests in many cities in China against President Xi Jinping’s strict interpretation of the zero-Covid policy. This is based, among other things, on strict lockdowns. However, this is slowing down the second largest economy in the world. Growth expected for this year is likely to be one of the weakest in almost half a century.
According to insiders, China is preparing further easing. People who have tested positive for Corona should be allowed to isolate themselves at home under certain conditions. According to analysts, however, this is not a fundamental change in corona policy. A departure from the zero Covid strategy is not to be expected before March. One of the prerequisites is the success of the recently intensified vaccination campaign for the elderly.
On Saturday, China reported 32,827 locally transmitted new infections, almost 2,000 fewer than the day before. The highest number of new infections reported within a year since the outbreak of the pandemic was just over 40,000 a few days ago.
