BEIJING (AP) — China planned to stop tracking some travel on Monday. This could reduce the chances of people being forced to quarantine to visit COVID-19 hotspots.
At midnight, smartphone apps that track people’s movements between cities and rural areas are disabled. Another app used to restrict the movement of people who have tested positive or entered areas with recent outbreaks remains in effect. They are part of a package of pandemic apps, some of which are also used by local governments to quell protests.
The move follows the dramatic announcement last week that the government would end many of the toughest measures following three years of implementing some of the world’s toughest virus restrictions. , unlimited lockdown, and the requirement to present a clean health insurance policy to access public areas.
Last month, in Beijing and several other cities, protests against restrictions erupted into calls for the resignation of President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party.
While relieved, mitigation has also raised concerns about new waves of infections that could overwhelm medical resources in some areas.
The easing of measures means a sharp drop in testing, but cases still appear to be rising rapidly. China reported 8,500 new infections on Monday, bringing the country’s total to 365,312, more than double the level on Oct. 1. It recorded 5,235 deaths, while the United States recorded 1.1 million. I am a person.
Figures provided by the Chinese government have not been independently verified, raising questions about whether the ruling Communist Party is trying to minimize the number of infections and deaths.
A fever clinic in a Beijing hospital accepted 22,000 patients on Sunday. That’s 16 times more than the previous week.
After a flood of purchases of cold and flu medicines in many major Chinese cities last week, pharmacies in Hong Kong have reported hoarding of such medicines by customers who supply relatives in mainland China. Lam Wyman, Chairman of the Hong Kong Pharmacy Trade Association said. A semi-autonomous city in southern China. Hong Kong has already lifted most of its COVID-19 restrictions.
“Everybody on the mainland wants to buy some pills to keep in stock at home,” Lam said.
Alan Chan, owner of Sands Medicine Shop in Wanchai District, said he receives about 10 inquiries about flu medicine from mainland residents every day.
“Usually nobody asks me about this kind of product,” says Cheung.
Uncertainty and an apparent increase in the number of cases are forcing the cancellation of events from foreign embassy holiday parties to the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix car race in Shanghai next spring.
The Xi Jinping administration is still officially committed to halting the spread of the virus, the last major country to attempt. suggesting that more cases be tolerated without any closure.
Faced with a surge in COVID-19 cases, China is building more intensive care units and increasing hospital capacity to deal with severe cases. At the same time, part of the mitigation means the government will allow people with mild symptoms to recover at home, rather than being sent to field hospitals, which are notorious for overcrowding and poor hygiene.
A report on China’s tightly controlled internet by the government seeks to reassure a nervous public that restrictions will continue to be lifted and travel, indoor dining and other economic activity will soon return to pre-pandemic levels. said.
China’s leaders have long praised “zero COVID” for maintaining far fewer cases and deaths than other countries, but officials recently said the threat of the virus has risen to a much lower level. Started talking about less and now states that the most prevalent type of Omicron is much less dangerous.
In an unpredictable message from Beijing, experts warned that the ruling party could still change course and reimpose restrictions if the outbreak continues.
Last week’s announcement left considerable room for local governments to allocate their own regulations. For example, most restaurants in Beijing still require a negative test result within the last 48 hours, and government agency rules are even stricter.
The change in policy comes after protests erupted after a fire in the northwestern city of Urumqi killed 10 people on 25 November. Many wondered if COVID-19 restrictions were hampering rescue efforts. Authorities denied the allegations spread online, but demonstrators expressed long-standing frustrations in cities such as Shanghai that have endured harsh lockdowns.
The party responded with massive force, and an unknown number of people were arrested during or in the days following the protests.
Easing began soon after — the government had already announced its intention to start opening up slowly, reducing costs and disruptions after the economy contracted 2.6% from the previous quarter in the three months to June. I had promised
Forecasters say the economy is likely to contract this quarter. Imports in November fell 10.9% year-on-year, indicating weak demand.
Some forecasters have cut their annual growth outlook to less than 3%. That’s less than half of his strong 8.1% growth last year.
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Associated Press reporter Kanis Leung from Hong Kong contributed to this report.
