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China eases restrictive anti-COVID-19 measures

Territories where there are no high-risk areas should not restrict the movement of people, suspend production or business activities

BEIJING, December 7. /TASS/. The Chinese authorities have eased preventive measures and social restrictions imposed earlier to control the spread of the coronavirus infection across the nation. The National Health Commission issued a special order optimizing measures to combat COVID-19.

According to the document, uploaded to the commission’s website on Wednesday, high-risk zones are now introduced not for individual territorial-administrative units, but for "buildings, apartments, floors and households."

"No forms of temporary blockade [of high-risk areas] are allowed," the document says. If there are no new infection cases for five consecutive days, the high-risk zone regime is canceled.

In addition, asymptomatic infected persons and people with mild illnesses are free to choose between self-isolation at home and a voluntary centralized quarantine.

Territories where there are no high-risk areas should not restrict the movement of people, suspend production or business activities.

The Chinese authorities have canceled mandatory PCR testing for those whose jobs do not involve a high risk of infection or contact with children or elderly people.

"With the exception of visits to places such as nursing homes, medical facilities, schools and childcare centers, a PCR test certificate is no longer required, and health codes are not subject to mandatory verification," the document reads.

Regular PCR testing will remain mandatory only for those groups whose professional activities are associated with a high risk of contracting coronavirus. PCR test certificates will be unnecessary for traveling between regions. At the same time, large companies and organizations may reserve the right to determine measures to prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19 in their territory at their own discretion.

The Chinese authorities have also allowed the sale of over-the-counter drugs, such as antipyretics and medicines for cough, cold and viral illnesses.

An upsurge in the number of coronavirus infection cases occurred in China in early November. A vast majority of patients were asymptomatic. The Chinese government stepped up restrictive measures to prevent COVID-19. At the end of November, street protests against anti-COVID measures took place in a number of cities. A fire in a residential high-rise building in the city of Urumqi, which claimed ten lives, was one of the factors that triggered the unrest. According to unconfirmed media reports, the lockdown prevented firefighters from getting to the site of the emergency fast enough. Also, residents had no chance to leave their apartments. The authorities denied this.After the protests, the regulators acknowledged the need to optimize prevention measures. The media started publishing comments and opinions to the effect that the Omicron strain was relatively harmless.

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