Several major Chinese cities have recently relaxed their regulations regarding COVID-19 testing, in an apparent gradual revision of the ‘zero-case’ policy that the Asian giant has maintained over the past three years and which has resulted, in a matter of weeks, in an unprecedented upsurge of social protests.
Shanghai, which already experienced this year a two-month confinement, no longer requires from Monday a negative PCR to access public spaces such as parks or public transport, after the authorities have decided to «optimize» and «adjust» the measures, according to a statement from the authorities.
Also in Hangzhou, most public places, including offices and supermarkets, will no longer require PCR tests, nor will they be required to buy some medicines, reports Bloomberg news agency. Similar gestures are planned in other cities such as Shenzhen, Dalian and Jiangxi.
In Zhengzhou, the city that houses Apple’s largest factory, the authorities announced on Sunday that they would only maintain the tests for those leaving the city or going to Internet cafes or karaoke bars, while in Wuhan, considered the ‘ground zero’ of the pandemic, it is already possible to access the subway without presenting any document.
In Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang province and scene of a fire with more than ten victims that sparked widespread protests, some areas have been reopened and this Monday it was planned to reactivate some businesses considered non-essential and a subway line that remained paralyzed.
Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan last week called for a new phase in the fight against the pandemic, with a view to adopting more targeted restrictions at a time when the country is recording the worst infection figures, with peaks of almost 40,000 positives per day. On Sunday, the government recorded more than 29,000 cases, although the reduction in testing also means fewer asymptomatic cases are being detected.
However, the measures will still remain harsher than those applied in the vast majority of countries, with entire neighborhoods virtually paralyzed to contain coronavirus outbreaks.
