Beijing, The Indonesia Post – Chinese health authorities have begun to relax policies on COVID-19 health protocols even though in the last two weeks the world’s most populous country has experienced a spike in positive cases.
The government has shortened the mandatory quarantine period for recovered COVID-19 positive patients to reduce the burden of much-needed medical resources at a time of very severe spikes in cases, local health authorities told the press on Thursday.
Under the new policy, COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms will be placed in integrated quarantine facilities, not in hospitals as before.
The health standards of positive patients were also lowered, making it easier to leave the hospital.
Positive patients who recover and are allowed to leave the hospital only need to be monitored for their health condition for seven days of self-quarantine at home.
Prior to that, the mandatory quarantine period for patients who had just returned from the hospital was 14 days.
With the new policy, the average length of stay of patients in hospitals will be reduced to 10 days, from 15 days previously, Zhang Wenhong, head of China’s Center for Infectious Diseases, was quoted as saying.
Previously, China’s health authorities also allowed the public to use self-antigen test kits that were sold freely in the market.
The policy is aimed at easing the burden on clinics or hospitals that provide mass PCR tests if there is a spike in cases at any time.
On Tuesday (16/3), China reported 1,860 local cases and 1,194 asymptomatic cases.
China is still implementing a dynamic zero-case COVID-19 policy.
However, the easing of the prokes is more directed at measures to maintain a balance between control efforts and the continuity of daily community activities.
The relaxation was in line with the completion of two major celebrations, namely the Winter Olympics and the Two-Session Parliamentary Session, which were both held in Beijing.
The surge in Omicron cases in the past two weeks has plagued 28 provinces, including the city of Beijing. (ojn/bbs)
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