China considers further easing quarantine rules as it seeks to reduce economic damage from Covid curbs

China Centre for Disease Control and Prevention says the country is constantly fine-tuning its response to lessen the impact on the economy and people’s lives

Lockdowns and travel restrictions have taken their toll on the country’s economy, which grew by just 0.4 per cent in the second quarter of this year

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The lockdown in Shanghai and other cities took its toll on the country’s economy. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 6:00pm, 22 Jul 2022Updated: 6:13pm, 22 Jul 2022

China is considering a further reduction in its quarantine requirements to lessen the economic impact of strict Covid-19 controls.

The announcement came on the heels of promises by Premier Li Keqiang this week that China would continue to refine its Covid-19 response with more targeted measures in terms of visa access and testing policies as well as allowing more international flights to China.

Wang Liping, an infectious diseases expert with the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, told a media briefing on Thursday that the centre is constantly looking to improve its epidemic control playbook.

“We will continue to collect and study new problems and difficulties that locals are facing in dealing with Covid-19 outbreaks … such as whether the quarantine period can be further shortened for people of various risk levels and whether low-risk areas can be more precisely classified … so as to further update and improve the epidemic control measures to minimise the impact on economic and social development and people’s lives,” Wang said.

The reference to quarantine for “various levels of risk” refers to international arrivals as well as close contacts and secondary close contacts of infected people.

China’s economy has stumbled in recent months due to lockdowns and travel restrictions imposed across the country, especially in the second quarter. Gross domestic product grew by just 0.4 per cent from the same period last year and far behind the 4.8 per cent in the first quarter. Property sales have faltered and the youth unemployment rate is at a record high.