China's New Covid-19 Control Protocol Calls For Monitoring Mutated Variants, Boost Vaccination Among Old People

The protocol highlights the monitoring of mutated variants and early warning. The new version of the plan advocates increased vaccination and self-protection, calling for monitoring of new variants.

China’s State Council joint prevention and control mechanism against Covid-19 issued the 10th edition of the Covid-19 prevention and control protocol on Saturday, as reported by The Global Times. The protocol was issued in accordance with the decision of downgrading the epidemic management from Class A to Class B, highlighting the monitoring of mutated variants and early warning as well as the protection of key groups by preventing severe cases.

The new version of the epidemic prevention and control plan advocates increased vaccination and self-protection, calling for enhancing the monitoring of new variants and using the national influenza surveillance network. 554 national influenza surveillance sentinel hospitals are required to carry out influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) surveillance, according to the national influenza surveillance network, The Global Times reported.

To trace the virus mutation, the updated version requires the collection of samples from outpatient and emergency cases, severe cases, and deaths in sentinel hospitals in representative cities, as well as among entry personnel at land, air, and sea ports to carry out whole-genome sequencing and report them to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Institute of Virology to capture new mutant strains in a timely manner.

It further requires localities to select qualified cities to carry out monitoring of the coronavirus in urban sewage, which could help evaluate the epidemic intensity and understand the changing trend and virus mutation.

 

According to the new version of the protocol, medical institutions at all levels should report new Covid infections within 24 hours to the direct online reporting system operated by the China CDC, as reported by The Global Times. For severe, critical cases and deaths, disease control departments should carry out epidemiological investigations promptly and upload relevant reports as required.

The version also talks about boosting vaccination, especially among elderly people who should ideally receive two doses and booster shots.

According to the protocol, for people at high risk of infection, those over 60 years old, and those with serious underlying diseases and low levels of immunity, the second booster dose can be delivered six months after completing the first dose of booster shot. 

The new protocol also defines an updated testing strategy, in which mass testing in communities will be scrapped, while sufficient testing capacity for residents who are willing to take nucleic acid testing in line with their willingness will be maintained.

There will be no more mandatory quarantine measures and no tracing of close contact or designation of high and low-risk areas. People who are infected with coronavirus but with mild symptoms can opt for home quarantine.

The Covid-19 Management is To Be Downgraded From Class A to Class B from January 8 

The management of Covid-19 will be downgraded from Class A to Class B from Sunday, January 8, as reported by The Global Times.

The decision was made after China's Covid-19 prevention and control entered a new stage as the virulence of the virus weakened, and the majority of the population has been inoculated with Covid-19 vaccines. It also represents that the country's anti-epidemic strategy has shifted from preventing infection to treatment.

The State Council joint prevention and control mechanism also issued new guidelines for Covid prevention and control in accordance with the management required for a Class B infectious disease. 

The guidelines require hospitals to enhance medical resources for treating severe cases by accelerating and upgrading ICU units to ensure that the number of comprehensive ICU beds used for the treatment of various critically ill patients infected with Covid-19 is no less than 4 percent of the total number of beds opened in the hospital.

Hospitals are also required to reserve an area of beds that could be transferred to ICU beds within 24 hours, which should not be less than 4 percent of the total beds opened. ICU beds should not be less than 10 percent of the total beds, The Global Times reported citing the guidelines.

China Ends Covid-19 Travel Restrictions For Incoming Passengers From Today

China will lift its quarantine requirement for inbound travellers starting from January 8. It will also resume issuing visas for residents to travel overseas. China's immigration authorities have said that they will start receiving applications for issuing passports for tourism and visits abroad beginning January 8, NHK World reported.

The easing came days after mainland China diluted its harsh COVID zero policy and slightly lifted its restrictions on international travellers. Earlier, the Chinese government announced plans to ease border restrictions and resume overseas visits in an orderly manner as per the international COVID-19 situation.

As per the NHK World report, Chinese media had said that access to major online travel sites for bookings to popular destinations, including Japan and Thailand increased ten-fold after the government's announcement.