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Two women walk in masks in Beijing
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Despite the increasing number of infections, China is sticking to the lifting of the corona restrictions.
Now people with corona symptoms in one of the largest cities in China should go to work "normally" again.
"Mildly symptomatic" government, party and state employees in the southern city of Chongqing, population 32 million, "could work normally after taking personal protective measures according to their physical condition and the needs of their work," the newspaper reported. Chongqing Daily” on Monday, citing a statement from the city authorities.
In addition, residents were asked not to undergo a test “unnecessarily”.
Even a negative test result no longer has to be presented.
Exceptions would only apply to certain facilities such as nursing homes, schools and prisons.
Also in the eastern province of Zhejiang, an important economic center with more than 60 million inhabitants, it was said on Sunday that people with mild symptoms "can continue to work if necessary, provided they take personal protective measures".
Authorities across the country have generally encouraged people to self-isolate at home while recovering from the disease - an abrupt reversal by the Chinese leadership from its previous strict zero-Covid policy, when people had to move to government quarantine facilities.
In mid-December, after nationwide protests and a slump in foreign trade, the People's Republic began moving away from the zero-Covid policy.
Across the country, quarantine rules and testing requirements were initially relaxed or even abolished and the mass closures ended.
Shortly thereafter, the authorities also announced the end of the state Corona app, which had severely restricted people's freedom of movement for two and a half years.
Health authorities report two dead
At the same time, the infection situation in China is worsening: On Monday, the Chinese health authorities announced two more Covid 19 deaths, both in the capital Beijing.
It's the first deaths in weeks after the country eased its strict zero-Covid policy.
China had not reported a death since December 4, although unofficial reports of a new wave of cases are widespread.
China is poorly prepared for the wave of corona cases: the underfunded hospitals lack the capacity to take in a large number of patients.
In addition, millions of elderly people are still not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
In the eastern city of Suzhou, authorities have hastily converted testing sites into makeshift fever treatment stations, state media said.
Other cities, including the capital Beijing, have been handing out free medical kits to some residents and urging patients to seek online advice rather than visit a hospital, according to media reports.
mfh/AFP
