Corona pandemic: China is relaxing – but without an overall concept

China is overturning some of its strict corona requirements, but different rules apply in every city. A real concept is obviously missing – which unsettles many people in the country.

Beijing on Monday morning: The Chinese capital seems a little livelier, shops have been allowed to open again since the weekend after they were largely closed for two weeks. From now on, negative PCR tests are no longer necessary to use local public transport. Many corona test stations are closed or being dismantled, and until a few days ago people there were often tested daily.

However, to enter offices, public buildings and shops, you often still need a negative corona test. Long queues are therefore forming at the remaining test stations. “I think it’s too early to dismantle the test stations,” says a 38-year-old resident. “The test stations should only be closed if we no longer have to show a test for all activities.”

Overall concept for easing is missing

“Now we are in a kind of transition period,” said a 76-year-old woman:

Not all cities and regions proceed in the same way when it comes to easing. Some places are opening restaurants and gyms, other cities are staying strict. An overall concept for exiting zero-Covid is still missing.

Many older people are still unvaccinated

The manager of a cinema in the city of Zhengzhou in the Henan region reports on Chinese state television that it is allowed to reopen. Of course, everything will be thoroughly disinfected. State media also report that the omicron subtype of the coronavirus is no longer as dangerous as previous variants. One problem remains, however, that millions of older people are not sufficiently vaccinated. If the virus spreads unchecked, the health system could collapse.

For a few days now, people who have tested positive are no longer necessarily taken to a state isolation facility. Authorities allow some people to recover at home – a first in China. In many places, potential contacts are no longer forced to isolate themselves.

Opening moves follow nationwide protests

China recently reported record infection numbers. Experts expect the numbers to continue to rise as a result of the easing. However, this is not reflected in the official corona statistics. The numbers there have been falling for days, which is probably due to the fact that significantly fewer tests are being carried out.

The easing comes after protests against the strict rules at the end of November. It is unclear whether there is a connection. There have been no signs of significant protests in recent days. In Shanghai and Beijing, among other places, the police showed an increased presence at the places where demonstrations were still taking place a week ago.