China eyes ‘targeted and precise’ approach to zero-Covid as cases exceed 10,500
- Beijing urges local authorities to improve disease control measures, with bigger Covid-19 wave predicted in winter and spring
- Top leaders promise to improve quarantine, testing and treatment, but changes will be ‘cautious’
The country reported 10,535 local infections, including 9,385 asymptomatic cases, on Friday morning, up from 8,824 a day earlier. China reported about 1,000 local infections daily at the end of last month.
It was the first Standing Committee meeting made public since Beijing’s new leadership was unveiled last month, and members urged local officials to carry out the response in a more “targeted and precise” manner to curb the spread of the virus.
On Thursday, the National Health Commission published a statement, citing Wang Liping, a researcher with the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, saying that the changes would be “cautious” and should not be interpreted as “relaxing control”.
“We are constantly optimising and improving our prevention and control policies in light of changes in the epidemic situation and virus mutations. It is not to relax epidemic control but to reflect a more scientific and precise approach so as to minimise the impact on economic and social development and people’s livelihood,” Wang said.
01:30
China’s zero-Covid policy under pressure as infections rise in major cities