China allows Covid-19 cases with no or mild symptoms to quarantine at home

This article is more than 12 months old

Dec 07, 2022 02:19 pm

BEIJING - China’s national health authority said on Wednesday that asymptomatic Covid-19 cases and those with mild symptoms can self-treat while in quarantine at home, the strongest sign so far that China is preparing its people to live with the disease.

Most of the cases are asymptomatic infections and mild cases, with no special treatment required, the National Health Commission (NHC) said in a statement.

“Asymptomatic persons and mild cases can be isolated at home while strengthening health monitoring, and they can transfer to designated hospitals for treatment in a timely manner if their condition worsens,” the NHC said.

The 10 new measures include accelerating vaccination among the elderly and forbidding local officials to designate large areas, like entire housing compounds, as high-risk, as well as scaling down mandatory PCR testing requirements.

According to guidelines released by the NHC, China will “further reduce the scope of nucleic acid testing and reduce testing frequency”.

For nearly three years, China has managed Covid-19 as a dangerous disease on a par with bubonic plague and cholera.

The rise in cases, typically seen during the year-end, is likely due to increased social gatherings and holiday travel.

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But since last week, top officials have acknowledged the reduced ability of the new coronavirus to cause disease while Chinese experts suggested it is not more deadly than seasonal influenza. - REUTERS