China’s transport authorities expect to see “substantial growth” in the number of people travelling during Lunar New Year following the lifting of many Covid-19 restrictions , but have warned they face a daunting task in keeping passengers and vital supplies on the move amid an expected spike in infections . The Spring Festival falls on January 22 next year. The holiday typically sees the biggest annual human migration on earth , known as the chunyun. Ordinarily, people from all walks of life leave the big cities where they work and return to their hometowns and villages. More than 3 billion trips were recorded in 2019, but this fell to 1 billion trips this year as people were discouraged by Covid curbs and official calls to “reduce all unnecessary trips. But now many control measures – including mass PCR tests, quarantine and health codes – have been lifted, and the transport ministry’s website said it expected a surge in demand during the 40-day travel season that begins on January 7. Covid-19 outbreaks test China’s position at centre of global supply chain But the ministry warned the authorities face a major challenge in ensuring that key supplies – including food, medicines, coal and other resources – remain available as traffic increases and infections surge. “By all means we will ensure the transport of energy, grain and other key materials and smooth every link of passenger trips,” it added. The ministry said it may have to introduce a closed-loop system for key transport workers, and also warned that there was also a higher risk of accidents because many services have been operating at low capacity for a long time, which may have kept safety and management problems hidden. The ministry urged people to shift their holidays and try to avoid travelling at peak periods. It also said transport workers should try to minimise the risk of getting infected. But Wei Sheng, a professor at the Tongji Medical College at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, said it is “not realistic to make people shift their holiday”, as families need to get together on the traditional day for family reunions. While many people have been infected with Covid-19 recently, according to figures provided by local health authorities, the rise in cases is expected to slow down during the travel season, Wei told People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s mouthpiece. He said people should not worry too much, as many have developed antibodies after being infected with Omicron or receiving a booster jab. But mask wearing and hand cleaning are still recommended, he said. But some people are still wary about the risk of travelling. Li Yan, 38, a Beijing resident who is recovering from Covid, said she had not yet decided whether to visit her parents on the southern island of Hainan next month. China shifts Covid focus to critical care with push for more beds “It was so painful suffering from a fever, constant coughs, severe headache and a shortage of fever-reducing drugs in the past 14 days,” she said. “I want to be together with my parents. I haven’t been with them for two years, as all travel plans were cancelled due to Covid-19 outbreaks. However, I’m also deeply worried about the consequences if I get infected again.” But Liu Yuanchao, 26, a Shanghai resident who has recovered from Omicron, said he would fly to Inner Mongolia to enjoy the winter snows. “I can’t wait to embrace the freedom and make a long-distance trip with my friends,” Liu said. “Three years have been wasted. Omicron cannot deter me. I’m so thrilled to be setting off in two weeks’ time.”