The authorities fear in particular an acceleration of the propagation of the virus during the Lunar New Year, while hundreds of millions of Chinese are preparing to spend the holidays with the family.
by Frédéric Lemaître (Beijing, correspondent)
Would China are preparing to limit travel again inside the country to try to circumscribe the explosion of COVID-19 cases? Five weeks after the de facto abandonment of zero covid policy, on December 7, 2022, an official has just discussed this possibility for the first time. During a press conference held on January 11, Chang Zhaorui, researcher at the National Center for the Control and Prevention of Diseases (CDC) said that because of the rapid propagation of the virus, it was necessary Focus on “COVID control in certain key institutions or places”.
She then cited the institutions that take care of the elderly, the health of children, as well as psychiatric hospitals, schools, postal services and medical institutions. But the list “can also include traveler stations, shopping centers, supermarkets, markets (…) and other very frequented and confined places,” said the researcher. In these places, “the government suggests that visitors must present a negative covid test of less than forty-eight hours,” said state television, CGTN.
While the tests, systematic until December 7, 2022, have since disappeared, just like the countless urban cabins where they were carried out, the return of such screening policy would not only be complex to implement, but would above all be the admission of a new failure. Hence, no doubt, the fact that the government is content for the moment to “suggest” such tests, an expression rarely used by the Chinese authorities.
a peak on January 13
These seem to fear in particular an acceleration of the propagation of the virus for the Lunar New Year, Sunday January 22. While hundreds of millions of Chinese are preparing to spend the holidays – which many of them have not been able to do for the past two years due to the health measures imposed by Beijing – Professor Guo Jianwen, member of The prevention team of the Epidemics of the Council of State, asked Chinese on Thursday not to visit the elderly. “You have many ways to show that you take care of them. There is no need to send them the virus,” he warned.
Faced with the shortage of drugs, China is resolved to accelerate the importation of Western treatments. On Wednesday, the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopharm said it had imported “hundreds of thousands of boxes” in Molnupiravir, the antiviral treatment developed by the American Merck. It should be put on sale from Friday January 13 at a price of 1,500 yuan (around 205 euros) per box of 40 pills. On the other hand, the Paxlovid, sold by Pfizer at the price of 1,890 yuan the box (258 euros) was tried too expensive by the Chinese authorities. Pills produced by Pfizer in China could be available “in the coming months”.
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