China is considering cutting the time that inbound visitors have to stay in COVID-19 quarantine from 10 to seven days, Bloomberg News reported yesterday, citing people familiar with the matter.
A strict “zero COVID-19” policy has been a damper on the world’s second-largest economy, contributing to concerns about a global recession, and international investors are closely watching for any sign of a relaxation of the rules.
China requires travelers to isolate for 10 days on entry into the country, with seven days in a hotel room, followed by three days of home monitoring.
Photo: Reuters
Officials are targeting a cut in the quarantine period to two days in a hotel and then five days at home, Bloomberg said.
The Chinese National Health Commission did not immediately respond to a fax seeking comment on the report.
The news agency said there was no clarity on how the new rules on home quarantine would apply to foreigners and other visitors without a residence in China.
In the past few days, China has repeated its pledge to stick to its “zero COVID-19” policy, despite growing public frustration with it and its toll on the economy.
While China’s approach to containing outbreaks remains tough, it is mindful of not excessively curbing cross-border travel for reasons other than leisure, such as for business and study.
China previously reduced its quarantine requirements on inbound travelers, including Chinese nationals, at the end of June. Since then, more international passenger flights in and out of China have also been allowed to resume.
Meanwhile, the capital, Beijing, has dialed up measures to stop COVID-19, strengthening public checks and locking down some residential compounds after a quadrupling of its case load in the past few weeks, just as a key Chinese Communist Party congress entered full swing.
The city of 21 million people yesterday reported 18 new locally transmitted cases for the previous day, bringing the tally for the past 10 days to 197. That is four times more than the 49 infections detected in the previous 10-day period.
While the number of cases is very small compared with other countries, China’s “zero COVID-19” policy has compelled the capital to ratchet up preventive measures, particularly with the party holding its once-every-five-years congress this week.
Beijing’s health authority called for stronger screening of risky individuals and meticulous checks on people entering crowded places, including supermarkets and gyms.
Some residential compounds with suspected cases were put under three-day lockdowns that could be extended if new infections emerge.
“Ensure that no one is overlooked,” Beijing’s health authorities said.
Shanghai, like many other Chinese cities battling sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks, revealed this week that it was planning to build a 3,250-bed quarantine facility on a small island close to the city center.
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