China faces a “very difficult” time as it dismantles its rigid “zero-COVID” policy and allows people to live with the virus, posing challenges in preparing hospitals and ensuring people are sufficiently protected, he said World Health Organization.
Beijing abruptly abandoned its zero tolerance stance last week after protests against its often draconian COVID lockdowns. The change, welcomed by many within the country, has also stoked concerns that infections could rise.
When asked about the policy changes, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told a news conference in Geneva on Tuesday that China was facing “a very tough and difficult time.”
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“It is always very difficult for any country to get out of a situation where they have had very, very strict controls,” he said, adding that other countries such as Australia have experienced this.
“We’ve always said before: don’t lock yourself in too easily and too quickly because it’s very, very hard to get out.”
Chinese citizens wearing face masks in front of the Shanghai train station. China has begun to roll back COVID measures that have sparked anger from both its citizens and the international community.
(REUTERS/Aly Song)
Among the challenges is ensuring that the population is “adequately vaccinated” and preparing hospitals for both a potential surge in cases and a potential rush of people who may be infected with other diseases.
“There are many, many things that you need to implement at the community level, at the hospital level, at the national level to maintain that transition,” Harris added.
The WHO generally refrains from commenting on the policies of individual countries, although the agency’s director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said in May that China’s COVID policies were not sustainable.
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WHO emergencies chief Mike Ryan said earlier this month that he was pleased that China was adjusting its strategy and urged it to continue increasing its vaccination coverage.
Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at Britain’s University of East Anglia, said many people in China were vaccinated too long ago to have adequate protection.
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“He has effectively lost the benefits of his vaccination campaign. Not completely, but to a large extent,” he told Reuters. “And so he’s in a really difficult position.”
