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China: How is its zero-Covid strategy changing? | China: How is its zero-Covid strategy changing? |
(4 days later) | |
China's zero-Covid policy has been among the strictest approaches to tackling the pandemic anywhere in the world. | China's zero-Covid policy has been among the strictest approaches to tackling the pandemic anywhere in the world. |
But a recent surge in infections is forcing it to reconsider how it deals with the pandemic. | But a recent surge in infections is forcing it to reconsider how it deals with the pandemic. |
How serious is the current wave? | How serious is the current wave? |
The latest jump in daily cases, widely spread across the country, has been driven largely by the Omicron variant. | The latest jump in daily cases, widely spread across the country, has been driven largely by the Omicron variant. |
Tens of millions of people in China, including the largest city and financial centre Shanghai, have been put under lockdown. | |
Mass testing is being carried out, while makeshift hospitals and quarantine centres have been set up across the country. | |
Shanghai lockdown: Economy shaken by zero-Covid measures | |
China: Shanghai hospital struggles with Covid infections | |
However, compared with the United States and Europe, infection rates remain low. | However, compared with the United States and Europe, infection rates remain low. |
In the week prior to 1 April, there were about 54,000 new cases in the whole of mainland China. In the US over a similar period, there were over 180,000 new infections according to official data. | |
How is China's policy changing? | How is China's policy changing? |
As more infections are detected across the country, China's strict zero-Covid strategy is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. | As more infections are detected across the country, China's strict zero-Covid strategy is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. |
However, most of its principal elements remain in place: | However, most of its principal elements remain in place: |
Travel to and from China is strictly limited, and there are restrictions on internal movement | Travel to and from China is strictly limited, and there are restrictions on internal movement |
Travellers from abroad with permission to enter China are screened and sent to government-designated hotels for a mandatory quarantine of at least two weeks, followed by a further period of monitoring | Travellers from abroad with permission to enter China are screened and sent to government-designated hotels for a mandatory quarantine of at least two weeks, followed by a further period of monitoring |
Regular community testing programmes are carried out and if infections are detected, residents can be evicted and sent to quarantine facilities (along with targeted area lockdowns) | Regular community testing programmes are carried out and if infections are detected, residents can be evicted and sent to quarantine facilities (along with targeted area lockdowns) |
All non-essential businesses have been shut, apart from food shops and some other essential suppliers | All non-essential businesses have been shut, apart from food shops and some other essential suppliers |
Schools are closed and public transport is suspended, with almost all vehicle movement banned | Schools are closed and public transport is suspended, with almost all vehicle movement banned |
Millions of people are currently under lockdown in China | Millions of people are currently under lockdown in China |
As China's healthcare system is put under increasing strain, some regulations have been relaxed: | As China's healthcare system is put under increasing strain, some regulations have been relaxed: |
People with mild symptoms no longer need to attend designated hospitals, but they still need to isolate at centralised facilities | People with mild symptoms no longer need to attend designated hospitals, but they still need to isolate at centralised facilities |
Quarantine-period rules have been reduced | Quarantine-period rules have been reduced |
Self-testing kits are being made available in stores across the country and online, but those who test positive will need to take PCR tests | |
China has approved antigen (lateral-flow) self-test kits after cases hit a two-year high | China has approved antigen (lateral-flow) self-test kits after cases hit a two-year high |
How successful has China's zero-Covid policy been? | How successful has China's zero-Covid policy been? |
China has had remarkable success containing the pandemic prior to the current outbreak. | China has had remarkable success containing the pandemic prior to the current outbreak. |
Since the end of 2019, it has reported just over 4,600 deaths (according to Our World in Data). | |
In the United States, close to one million people have died having contracted Covid-19. | |
That's around three deaths per million people in mainland China, compared with about 3,000 in the US and 2,400 in the UK. | |
Reported infections in China have also been very low throughout the pandemic. | Reported infections in China have also been very low throughout the pandemic. |
Concerns have been expressed about the accuracy of the official data, but it seems clear that both infection and death rates have been low when compared with other countries. | Concerns have been expressed about the accuracy of the official data, but it seems clear that both infection and death rates have been low when compared with other countries. |
About 88% of the population is now fully vaccinated. Despite this, China is almost alone in adhering to strict zero-Covid policies. | About 88% of the population is now fully vaccinated. Despite this, China is almost alone in adhering to strict zero-Covid policies. |
Read more from Reality Check | Read more from Reality Check |
Send us your questions | Send us your questions |