China Signals Shift Away From Zero-Covid As It Claims Virus Is Weakening

Topline

Chinese authorities acknowledged the country was facing a new phase of the pandemic that will require it to tweak its approach, a signal that its government may finally be moving away from its stringent adherence to a zero-Covid policy of harsh lockdowns and triggered unprecedented public protests across parts of the country.

Key Facts

China’s Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan, who heads the country’s pandemic response, told the country’s National Health Commission on Wednesday that they were facing a “new situation” as they tackle a virus with weakening “pathogenicity” while vaccination rates increase.

Sun urged health officials to improve testing, treatment, and quarantine measures while stepping up immunization efforts among the elderly.

Sun’s address made no mention of zero-Covid, China’s present approach to tackling the virus through harsh lockdowns and repeated mass testing.

According to Reuters, officials in Guangzhou have begun to lift lockdowns across parts of the city just a day after massive protests broke out in the manufacturing hub where crowds of protesters clashed with police in riot gear on Tuesday night.

Another shift in strategy involves allowing people with asymptomatic infections and people who have been in close contact with infected individuals to quarantine at home instead of a government center, the report added.

Officials made no mention of the ongoing protests against zero-Covid approach, although it likely served as a catalyst for the shift.

News Peg

China continues to see a massive surge in new Covid-19 cases. The country reported 36,061 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, hovering close to the country’s daily record high, reported earlier this week. However, China’s per-capita infection rate remains significantly lower than most countries in the West including the U.S.

Key Background

As daily Covid-19 numbers reached record highs, the effectiveness of the zero-Covid strategy came under question. The growing public discontent against the approach reached boiling point last week after a fire in a high-rise residential building in the locked-down city of Urumqi in western China led to the deaths of 10 people. The tragedy raised questions about emergency responders being hindered by barriers erected around buildings and roads due to the zero-Covid measures. This triggered unprecedented public protests against the government and China’s leader Xi Jinping—with some protestors chanting for his resignation.

What To Watch For

The biggest challenge China faces in reversing its harsh lockdown policies is the low uptake of vaccines among its elderly. Only 65.7% of people over the age of 80 have been fully vaccinated and an even smaller number of them—40%—have received booster shots, state-controlled newspaper China Daily reported. Earlier this week, China’s National Health Commission unveiled plans to improve vaccination rates among the elderly. These plans include setting up more vaccination centers in areas frequented by elderly people and requiring people who refuse vaccination to provide a reason for the same.

Further Reading

China softens tone on COVID severity after protests (Reuters)

China’s Zero-Covid Strategy: What Is It, Why Are People Protesting And What Comes Next (Forbes)