Less than twenty-four hours after violent protests in Guangzhou, authorities in the enormous port city – as well as Chongqing, Zhengzhou, and the capital Beijing – declare that COVID restrictions will be eased.
Following widespread protests against draconian zero-COVID rules, major Chinese cities have begun to abolish COVID lockdowns and relax restrictions.
Less than 24 hours after violent protests in Guangzhou, officials in at least seven districts of the large port city north of Hong Kong announced they were removing lockdowns.
One district on Wednesday announced it would allow in-person classes in schools to continue and would reopen eateries and other businesses including theatres.
Authorities in the southern city of Chongqing said they would henceforth allow close contact with people with COVID-19, who meet specific circumstances, to quarantine at home.
The “orderly” return of companies, including shops, gyms, and restaurants, has been announced in Zhengzhou in central China, where there have been conflicts at a massive Foxconn facility producing iPhones and an exodus of workers unhappy by COVID restrictions.
In rare images of open opposition, protests have flared around the country in response to COVID lockdowns and restrictions, including in the commercial hub of Shanghai and the capital Beijing.
According to new instructions given by community leaders, individuals with moderate coronavirus symptoms in east Beijing are now permitted to self-isolate at home.
Another nearby area is having an online vote this week on the likelihood of positive cases isolating at home.
I certainly support the decision of our residential community to hold this poll regardless of the outcome,” said resident Tom Simpson, managing director for China at the China-Britain Business Council.
His primary concern was being compelled to enter a quarantine center, where “conditions can be, to put it mildly, terrible.”
The softening posture follows quarantine practices earlier in the year which saw entire villages shut down, often for weeks, after even just one positive case was found.
China will respond to “urgent concerns” presented by the public, and COVID laws should be enforced more flexibly based on the severity of outbreaks in each location, according to statements made by national health officials earlier in the week.
State media reported that Vice Premier Sun Chunlan stated on Wednesday that the virus’s ability to cause disease was waning despite the near-record number of cases.
In addition, she advocated for additional “optimization” of testing, treatment, and quarantine regulations.
It differs from previous signals from authorities regarding the imminence of the virus.
Although the relaxing of some measures appears to be an attempt to satisfy the public, police have also begun to hunt out protestors, according to some Beijing protesters who spoke with the Reuters news agency.
A person who did not wish to be recognized said, “Police came to my door to question me about everything and have me complete a written report.”
A second individual reported that acquaintances who shared recordings of protests on social media were hauled to a police station and required to sign an oath stating they “would not do that again.”
