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No shift in China’s zero-Covid response until big pandemic picture changes: top mainland expert
- Liang Wannian says factors both inside China and overseas must be reviewed before China alters its strict zero-Covid response
- He says the large proportion of asymptomatic infections can be attributed to China’s effectiveness in disease prevention and control
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China will only consider adjusting its strict virus response after overall conditions change at home and overseas, according to China’s top Covid-19 strategy official.
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In an interview with state broadcaster CCTV on Monday, Liang Wannian, head of the expert panel leading the country’s Covid-19 response, said those conditions included having better tools to fight the virus, the prevalence of a less dangerous strain and the pandemic becoming less serious abroad.
Liang said China would review factors collectively, including the degree of harm being caused by the virus, when weighing up changes to pandemic strategy or a return to normal.
“I know everyone is hoping for the pandemic to end soon, but the viruses and diseases themselves do not depend on our will,” Liang said.
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He said potential developments included the virus mutating into a weaker pathogen with low transmissibility and virulence, posing less danger to health and life. This would be the best-case scenario.
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