SHANGHAI: China will make substantial changes to its “dynamic-zero” Covid-19 policy in the coming months, a former Chinese disease control official said Friday at a conference hosted by Citi, according to a recording of the session heard by Reuters.
Separately, three sources familiar with the matter said China may soon further shorten quarantine requirements for incoming travelers.
Zeng Guang, a former chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention who has been outspoken about China’s fight against Covid, said China’s opening conditions were “piling up”, citing new vaccines and the country’s progress in researching antiviral drugs.
Asked by China’s Citi Chief Economist Yu Xiangrong whether China would open up after its annual parliament meeting which traditionally takes place in early March, he said many new policies would be introduced in the next five to six months, without indicate the basis of this information. .
“The situation is changing now, and China’s ‘dynamic zero’ will also undergo major changes. Substantial changes will happen soon,” he said, according to the recording of the session, titled “Strategy China’s exit from zero-Covid”.
Citi declined to comment on Zeng’s remarks. Zeng and Yu did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Zeng’s remarks bolster recent hopes among investors that China will ease some of the tough measures that have made it a global outlier and inflicted deep damage on the world’s second-largest economy.
Public health experts have warned that overturning China’s rigid Covid regime will require a clear timing and strategy for booster shots in a country of 1.4 billion people with little natural immunity, and many believe the China will not begin significant easing until after the March parliamentary session.
This week’s optimism defies reports of rising infections and widespread Covid-related disruptions in China, including Friday’s postponement of the Guangzhou auto show that was scheduled for later this month.
Chinese health authorities will hold a press conference at 3:00 p.m. (0700 GMT) on the prevention of Covid-19 on Saturday, according to a notice that officials from the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention would be present. No other details were immediately available.
Travel adjustments
Still, China has continued to refine its Covid approach and may soon shorten Covid-19 quarantine requirements for incoming travelers from the current 10 days to seven or eight days, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
Under the new rule, arrivals would have to spend five days in a quarantine facility and an additional two or three days at home, one of the sources said, compared to the current requirement of seven days in a facility, usually a hotel, and an additional three days under home supervision.
China’s National Health Commission did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment.
Such a move would follow China’s decision in June to halve the quarantine time for inbound travelers.
Also on Friday, Bloomberg News reported that China was working on plans to scrap a system that penalizes airlines for bringing Covid-positive passengers into the country, citing people familiar with the matter, saying the effort was a sign that authorities were looking for ways to ease the impact of its COVID policies.
Chinese airlines carried out an average of 145 international flights a day in October, up 21.9% from September, according to aviation data provider Variflight. Yet international capacity to and from China is just 7.3% of 2019 levels, based on data from industry information providers CAPA and OAG.
Lockdowns and protests
Authorities on Friday reported 3,871 new locally transmitted infections for the previous day, a tiny number by global standards but the most in China since early May.
Zeng was part of a high-level team at China’s National Health Commission when the virus began to spread from China’s central city of Wuhan to other parts of China in 2020.
He has previously urged not to use excessive measures to fight Covid that risk burning people out, and said in March that China would seek a path to “flexible and controllable opening”.
While most of the world has largely removed virus curbs, China is steadfastly sticking to a zero-tolerance approach that responds to even single cases with lockdowns and mass testing. These measures have upended the economy and are increasingly frustrating the public.
Markets jumped this week on hopes that China would ease its approach after rumors – based on an unverified note that circulated on social media – indicated that China was planning a reopening of strict COVID restrictions in March. next year.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said at the time that he was unaware of the situation. On Wednesday, the country’s National Health Commission said the country should steadfastly stick to zero-Covid.
Wuhan is again in the headlines related to Covid in China after imposing a series of temporary lockdowns and restrictions when dozens of new cases were reported over the past week.
Videos showing rowdy protests inside a compound in Wuhan’s Hanyang district on Thursday night were shared on social media on Friday. Reuters could not immediately verify them.
Angry locals in the videos were seen smashing through Covid disaster relief tents and calling for an end to their lockdown, with crowds shouting: ‘Give us freedom, give us freedom !”
Separately, three sources familiar with the matter said China may soon further shorten quarantine requirements for incoming travelers.
Zeng Guang, a former chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention who has been outspoken about China’s fight against Covid, said China’s opening conditions were “piling up”, citing new vaccines and the country’s progress in researching antiviral drugs.
Asked by China’s Citi Chief Economist Yu Xiangrong whether China would open up after its annual parliament meeting which traditionally takes place in early March, he said many new policies would be introduced in the next five to six months, without indicate the basis of this information. .
“The situation is changing now, and China’s ‘dynamic zero’ will also undergo major changes. Substantial changes will happen soon,” he said, according to the recording of the session, titled “Strategy China’s exit from zero-Covid”.
Citi declined to comment on Zeng’s remarks. Zeng and Yu did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Zeng’s remarks bolster recent hopes among investors that China will ease some of the tough measures that have made it a global outlier and inflicted deep damage on the world’s second-largest economy.
Public health experts have warned that overturning China’s rigid Covid regime will require a clear timing and strategy for booster shots in a country of 1.4 billion people with little natural immunity, and many believe the China will not begin significant easing until after the March parliamentary session.
This week’s optimism defies reports of rising infections and widespread Covid-related disruptions in China, including Friday’s postponement of the Guangzhou auto show that was scheduled for later this month.
Chinese health authorities will hold a press conference at 3:00 p.m. (0700 GMT) on the prevention of Covid-19 on Saturday, according to a notice that officials from the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention would be present. No other details were immediately available.
Travel adjustments
Still, China has continued to refine its Covid approach and may soon shorten Covid-19 quarantine requirements for incoming travelers from the current 10 days to seven or eight days, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
Under the new rule, arrivals would have to spend five days in a quarantine facility and an additional two or three days at home, one of the sources said, compared to the current requirement of seven days in a facility, usually a hotel, and an additional three days under home supervision.
China’s National Health Commission did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment.
Such a move would follow China’s decision in June to halve the quarantine time for inbound travelers.
Also on Friday, Bloomberg News reported that China was working on plans to scrap a system that penalizes airlines for bringing Covid-positive passengers into the country, citing people familiar with the matter, saying the effort was a sign that authorities were looking for ways to ease the impact of its COVID policies.
Chinese airlines carried out an average of 145 international flights a day in October, up 21.9% from September, according to aviation data provider Variflight. Yet international capacity to and from China is just 7.3% of 2019 levels, based on data from industry information providers CAPA and OAG.
Lockdowns and protests
Authorities on Friday reported 3,871 new locally transmitted infections for the previous day, a tiny number by global standards but the most in China since early May.
Zeng was part of a high-level team at China’s National Health Commission when the virus began to spread from China’s central city of Wuhan to other parts of China in 2020.
He has previously urged not to use excessive measures to fight Covid that risk burning people out, and said in March that China would seek a path to “flexible and controllable opening”.
While most of the world has largely removed virus curbs, China is steadfastly sticking to a zero-tolerance approach that responds to even single cases with lockdowns and mass testing. These measures have upended the economy and are increasingly frustrating the public.
Markets jumped this week on hopes that China would ease its approach after rumors – based on an unverified note that circulated on social media – indicated that China was planning a reopening of strict COVID restrictions in March. next year.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said at the time that he was unaware of the situation. On Wednesday, the country’s National Health Commission said the country should steadfastly stick to zero-Covid.
Wuhan is again in the headlines related to Covid in China after imposing a series of temporary lockdowns and restrictions when dozens of new cases were reported over the past week.
Videos showing rowdy protests inside a compound in Wuhan’s Hanyang district on Thursday night were shared on social media on Friday. Reuters could not immediately verify them.
Angry locals in the videos were seen smashing through Covid disaster relief tents and calling for an end to their lockdown, with crowds shouting: ‘Give us freedom, give us freedom !”
