China defends dumping ‘zero-COVID’ policy amid infection spike

ISTANBUL (AA) – China has defended its decision to dump the ‘zero-COVID’ policy as the world’s most populous nation moves to fully open for international travel.

Hua Chunying, the spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said the country’s “focus” on the COVID-19 response “has shifted from ‘infection prevention’ to ‘health protection and severe illness prevention’.”

“This is a step we take based on facts and the evolving circumstance, following a comprehensive assessment of virus mutations, the COVID situation and China’s prevention and control work. The purpose is to improve the science-based nature, precision and effectiveness of our COVID measures,” Hua wrote on Twitter.

Beijing’s defense of dumping its “zero-COVID” policy, under which it locked down neighborhoods, forcibly took people to government quarantine centers and required several negative COVID-19 tests from people for public engagement, comes after reports that the US is considering new coronavirus precautions for travelers from China because of a surge in cases in the country.

Japan also said it will require travelers from China to present negative tests.

China’s National Health Commission (NHC) announced on Monday it is downgrading the coronavirus from a Class A infectious disease to Class B to further ease measures in the country.

COVID-19 has changed from a “novel coronavirus pneumonia” to a “novel coronavirus infection,” it said.

The NHC also said the “daily epidemic information will no longer be released.”

The world’s most populous nation dumped its strict “zero-COVID” policy this month, following unrest and unprecedented protests in parts of the country.

The NHC website said 4,128 new infections and no deaths were reported last Friday, bringing the total cases since December 2019 to 397,195 with 5,241 fatalities.