BEIJING — (AP) — China will scrap travel tracking requirements as part of an uncertain exit from a draconian ‘COVID-zero’ policy that has sparked widespread dissatisfaction.
At midnight Monday, the smartphone app stops working. This means that people’s movements will no longer be tracked and recorded, potentially reducing the likelihood of being forced into quarantine for visiting pandemic hotspots. China’s ruling Communist Party does not allow verification by independent bodies, and such apps have been used in the past to stifle freedom of travel and speech. The part of the app’s package that contains the health code.
The move follows the government’s sudden announcement last week to end many of its most draconian measures. This follows a three-year lockdown, travel restrictions and quarantines, mandated inspections, and requirements to show clean health certificates to access public areas for people traveling between states and cities. .
Last month, in Beijing and several other cities, protests against restrictions erupted into calls for the resignation of President Xi Jinping and the ruling Communist Party.
While relieved, mitigation has also raised concerns about new waves of infections that could overwhelm medical resources in some areas.
The Xi Jinping administration is still officially committed to halting the spread of the virus, the last major country to attempt. to allow more cases.
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, the government has reversed course by allowing 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.
Chinese leaders have long praised ‘zero COVID’ for maintaining far fewer cases and deaths than other countries, but health officials are now It says the risk posed by Omicrons of the kind is much less.
China announced about 8,500 new infections on Monday, amid a sharp drop in testing, bringing the country’s total to 365,312, more than double the level since October 1, and 5,235 deaths. did. This compares to her 1.1 million deaths from COVID-19 in the United States.
On November 25, protests erupted after a fire in the northwestern city of Urumqi killed 10 people. Many thought that COVID-19 restrictions might be 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.
The Xi administration promised to cut costs and disruptions after the economy contracted 2.6% from the previous quarter in the three months to June. 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.
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.
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