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Chinese cheer as COVID curbs are loosened

World

07-12-2022 | 08:33

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Chinese cheer as COVID curbs are loosened

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China announced on Wednesday the most sweeping changes to its resolute anti-COVID regime since the pandemic began three years ago, loosening rules that curbed the spread of the virus but sparked protests and hobbled the world's second-largest economy.

The relaxation of rules, which includes allowing infected people with mild symptoms to quarantine at home and dropping testing for people travelling domestically, is the clearest sign yet Beijing is pivoting away from its zero-COVID policy to let people live with the disease.

Many of the changes announced by the National Health Commission (NHC) reflected steps already taken in various cities and regions in recent days, following protests against COVID controls that were the biggest demonstration of public discontent since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012.

Citizens cheered the prospect of a shift that could see China slowly emerging back into the world three years after the virus was first identified in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019.

Wednesday's announcement soared to the top most viewed topic on China's Weibo platform, with many hoping for normality after policies that have brought mental suffering to tens of millions.

"It's time for our lives to return to normal, and for China to return to the world," wrote one Weibo user.

REUTERS

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