Opinion | Why China’s road to Covid relaxation must be paved with clear messaging
- Beijing has told local governments to ease up on its toughest disease containment measures to minimise community and economic disruption
- But authorities must still manage a tired, wary public with the ultimate goal of zero Covid
With public patience running thin and local government resources stretched to breaking point after three years of draconian measures, the 20 changes outlined on Friday were meant to reduce economic and social disruptions.
But at home, many residents and officials found the changes confusing, or even contradictory.
Under the new rules, local governments were told not to carry out mass testing for the coronavirus, a strategy that has been common as part of the country’s zero-Covid efforts. Instead, the instructions now are to target specific flats or blocks with lockdowns or run the risk of punishments for excessive control measures.
At the same time, the overall goal for local governments remains the same: they have to contain the virus and prevent large outbreaks of Covid-19.