China announced a nationwide loosening of Covid restrictions following protests against the Zero Covid strategy that grew into calls for greater political freedoms and resignation of president Xi Jinping.
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"Asymptomatic persons and mild cases can be isolated at home while strengthening health monitoring, and they can transfer to designated hospitals for treatment in a timely manner if their condition worsens," the National Health Commission said in a statement.
Here are ten points on what changes in China's Covid management:
1. Under the new guidelines, some asymptomatic and mild cases of Covid-19 can now quarantine at home, ending a requirement that all positive cases be isolated in centralised government facilities.
2. The frequency and scope of PCR testing will also be reduced.
3. Mandatory mass testing will be restricted to "high-risk" areas and schools.
4. People travelling between provinces will also no longer require a negative test taken within 48 hours, and they will not be have to test upon arrival, according to the new rules.
5. The announcement came in the wake of rare protests across China against the ruling Communist Party's zero-Covid strategy.
{{/usCountry}}5. The announcement came in the wake of rare protests across China against the ruling Communist Party's zero-Covid strategy.
{{/usCountry}}Read more: China announces nationwide loosening of Covid curbs after massive protests
6. The protests expanded into calls for more political freedoms, with some even calling for President Xi Jinping to resign.
7. The announcement came hours after the government released data showing the crippling economic impacts of zero-Covid.
8. Imports and exports plunged in November to levels not seen since early 2020.
9. Imports in November fell 10.6 percent year-on-year, the biggest drop since May 2020.
10. Exports fell 8.7 percent over the same period.