China relaxes Covid-19 controls, allows home isolation for mild and asymptomatic cases
- In step towards reopening, Beijing allows positive cases to quarantine at home for seven days
- State Council issues new nationwide instructions to protect health and keep social and economic impacts to a minimum
China has moved one step closer to reopening by relaxing its Covid-19 control measures and allowing some who test positive to isolate at home.
“We will protect people’s safety and health to the greatest [extent] and keep the impact on social and economic development to a minimum,” the State Council Prevention and Control Mechanism said on Wednesday.
Under the new nationwide instructions, people with mild symptoms or those who are asymptomatic may isolate at home for seven days, instead of being sent to a central facility. Their close contacts may also quarantine at home for five days, instead of the previous requirement to spend eight days in isolation, first at a facility and then at home.
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China further eases pandemic restrictions in latest step towards reopening after zero-Covid
China will also expand the use of rapid antigen tests (RAT) instead of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, only giving PCR tests to those in high-risk areas and occupations, and testing others only on a voluntary basis.
