Monrovia- The Covid-19 infection was renamed Covid-19 pneumonia on December 26, 2022, according to a statement from China’s National Health Commission. Beginning January 8, 2023, the People’s Republic of China’s Frontier Health and Quarantine Law will no longer require the prevention and control of Covid-19 infection against Class A infectious diseases. These measures will also no longer be a part of the management of quarantine infectious diseases. This is a significant change to China’s epidemic prevention and control policy, which emphasizes the importance of effectively coordinating epidemic prevention and control with social and economic development and adjusting and optimizing prevention and control measures in response to the situation and the time.
China announced steps to treat COVID-19 as a Class-B infectious disease instead of a Class-A infectious disease, shifting the focus of response from stemming infection to caring for the health and preventing severe cases, which means that they will focus on protecting the elderly with underlying health conditions, pregnant and lying-in women, children, and other key groups. Omicron is much less pathogenic and deadly, and China’s treatment, testing, and vaccination capacity have steadily increased. This change is timely, supported by science, and required.
According to Ambassador Ren Yisheng the goal is to save people’s lives and health while minimizing the epidemic’s negative effects on social and economic advancement. In order to properly coordinate the COVID reaction with economic and social development and protect the fundamental interests of the vast majority of the population, this is also crucial from a strategic and long-term viewpoint. China’s COVID policy modification has recently come under fire from some Western media, which claims that China has changed its COVID response philosophy and no longer values human life. Politically motivated, biased, and meant to malign China, this discourse is used. Such language, which merely ignores the facts, is false.
The Chinese noted that since COVID began, China has always put the people and their lives above all else. “We have made the best effort to protect people’s life and health and poured all resources into treating every patient. Over the past three years, we have effectively responded to five global COVID waves and avoided widespread infections with the original strain and the Delta variant, which are relatively more pathogenic than the other variants. We have greatly reduced the number of severe cases and deaths and bought precious time for the research, development, and application of vaccines and therapeutics, and for getting medical supplies and other resources ready. The number of people covered by vaccination and the number of people who have been fully vaccinated account for 92% and 90% of the total population of the country respectively. Globally speaking, China has had the lowest rates of infection and mortality. Despite the pandemic, average life expectancy in China went up from 77.3 to 78.2 years.”
The Chinese government has modified and adjusted its COVID response measures in light of the most recent COVID situation, based on scientific and rational analysis and assessment and with a prudent approach, and taken a number of measures to facilitate people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries. We think this will have a big impact on the global economy’s recovery and expansion, Amb. Ren Yisheng reported.
It is reported that every country that modified the COVID policy had to go through an adaptation period. As the Chinese COVID policy shifts, China is not an exception. Overall, China’s COVID situation is still predictable and under control. Numerous nations have placed restrictions on visitors from China, such as making them undergo COVID testing, in response to China’s relaxing of its rigorous COVID regulations.
“We think that for all nations, COVID response measures must be based on research, be proportionate, and apply equally to citizens of all nations without interfering with regular travel, intercultural contact, and cooperative efforts. To secure safe cross-border travel, maintain stable global industrial and supply networks, and make a positive contribution, we hope that all parties will adopt a science-based response strategy and cooperate.”
Amb. Ren Yisheng noted that one that hasn’t changed in the past three years while they have adjusted the COVID reaction to the changing situation is their dedication to prioritizing people and their lives while actively assisting the global community in overcoming the epidemic.
China made this decision and took this measure in response to the century’s worst epidemic. China will stably advance opening-up, effectively coordinate the COVID response and socioeconomic development, and collaborate with all parties to improve international cooperation against the pandemic, maintain stable and secure global supply chains, and boost global economic growth.
“We are confident that with this dedication and the combined efforts of the people in all countries, COVID will be defeated at an early date, and a brighter future is ahead.”
