Coronavirus is weakening and management protocols could be downgraded, an expert on China’s state media claimed, after unprecedented protests last week led to a major shift in Beijing’s commitment to its zero-Covid policy, Guardian reported.
Since January 2020, China has classified Covid-19 as a Category B infectious disease but has managed it under Category A protocols. An unnamed infectious disease expert told Chinese media outlet Yicai that more than 95% of China’s cases are now asymptomatic and mild, and the fatality rate is very low, the report said. Under such circumstances, adhering to Class A management is not in line with science, the expert added.
Covid-19 could be downgraded to Category B management or even Category C, the expert was quoted as saying.
Read more: China may pivot a tad more on Covid measures as Xi Jinping faces crisis: Report
Chinese government and its media is now heavily emphasising the reduced severity, marking an abrupt political turnaround for the country’s zero-Covid policy, which Xi Jinping had said was China’s only path out of the pandemic.
An outpouring of public anger appears to have prompted authorities to lift some of the more tough restrictions, even as they say the zero-Covid strategy is still in place. There are some fear millions could die if restrictions were lifted entirely.
Read more: Xi Jinping ‘unwilling to take better vaccine from the West’, US intel says
Beijing, Shanghai, Zhengzhou and Shenzhen are among cities to end a requirement for negative test results in order to board public transport.
China is the last major country trying to stop transmission completely through quarantines, lockdowns and mass testing.
