CHINA rolled back its tough COVID rules this week, after the restrictions sparked popular unrest and hammered the world's second-largest economy.
Here are some of the major changes announced by Beijing's National Health Commission:
- Home quarantine -
People infected with Covid but with mild or no symptoms can now isolate at home rather than in state-managed facilities.
This is a reversal of earlier rules, where all infected patients and their close contacts were sent to hospitals or hastily-built isolation centres.
Occupants have complained about grim conditions in many of these facilities -- from bad food to a lack of running water.
Residents can now also buy fever and cold medicines without restrictions, where previously they were forced into fever clinics where they were screened for Covid.
- Shorter lockdowns -
Snap lockdowns must be applied to more precisely identified areas, including specific buildings, units and floors, instead of shutting down entire neighbourhoods or imposing city-wide lockdowns, the new rules say.
They must also be lifted if no new cases are found for five consecutive days.
The move represents a marked departure from previous rules, which saw millions locked down for months.
Schools must remain open if there is no wider campus outbreak.
The new guidelines also ban the blocking of fire exits and doors by officials, after 10 people perished in a blaze in a sealed building in northwest China's Urumqi, sparking nationwide protests.
Virus controls must also not prevent people from accessing emergency medical treatment, it added, after a string of deaths tied to hospitals turning down patients without negative Covid tests.
- No more mass testing -
Officials have also scrapped the need for frequent mass testing, saying only "employees in high-risk positions" such as healthcare workers and delivery staff -- as well as those in "high-risk" areas -- will need to take regular tests.
But companies are still permitted to ask workers to produce test results -- meaning testing is far from gone from daily life in China.
Most cities previously also required residents to have a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours to ride public transport or even enter a public park -- rules that no longer apply.
Residents are now also allowed to travel between provinces without a 48-hour test result and will not be asked to test again at their destination.
That shift is expected to boost China's struggling domestic travel industry, hit hard since the onset of the pandemic in late 2019.
- Scrapping 'health codes' -
The Chinese public is no longer required to show a green health code on their phone to enter public buildings and spaces, except for "nursing homes, medical institutions, kindergartens, middle and high schools."
The widespread use of health codes tracking citizens' whereabouts has raised concerns over privacy, official abuse and data theft.
Five officials in central China's Zhengzhou city were punished in June for deliberately turning thousands of citizens' health codes red to stop them from protesting against a banking scandal.
Despite the changes, China's borders remain largely closed, with inbound travellers still required to quarantine for a week.
ETX Studio
Sat Dec 10 2022
![What's changed as China relaxes strict COVID rules What's changed as China relaxes strict COVID rules](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-12/51670636862_COVID.jpg)
People infected with COVID but with mild or no symptoms can now isolate at home rather than in state-managed facilities. - ETX Studio
Tumpuan Isnin – 08 Julai 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
'Jeff' dinobat siput terpantas dunia, menang Kejohanan Dunia Lumba Siput
Tahun ini, siput bernama Jeff dinobatkan sebagai pemenang, menang saingan akhir dengan masa 4 minit dan 3 saat. Begitupun, kepantasan Jeff tidak dapat memadam rekod yang dibuat pada tahun 1995 oleh seekor siput bernama Archie.
![Pentadbiran Prabowo-Gibran dijangka perkukuh industri sawit Indonesia Pentadbiran Prabowo-Gibran dijangka perkukuh industri sawit Indonesia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81720368598_TBPrabowo.jpg)
Pentadbiran Prabowo-Gibran dijangka perkukuh industri sawit Indonesia
Kerajaan baharu yang akan dipimpin oleh Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka dijangka memperkukuh daya saing produk minyak sawit sebagai komoditi strategik untuk pasaran domestik dan antarabangsa.
![Kanak-kanak lelaki maut selepas terjatuh ke dalam tasik Kanak-kanak lelaki maut selepas terjatuh ke dalam tasik](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-01/61706067730_TBgarisanpolis.jpg)
Kanak-kanak lelaki maut selepas terjatuh ke dalam tasik
Seorang kanak-kanak lelaki berusia sembilan tahun maut selepas terjatuh ke dalam tasik dipercayai ketika sedang mencari lokan di Taman Tasik Teratai Fasa 2 Serendah, Hulu Selangor.
Ribuan umat Islam zahir solidariti kepada Palestin di Shah Alam
Bertemakan Gaza Bangkit, program pada Ahad malam itu turut mengundang pendakwah dari Indonesia, Ustaz Abdul Somad Batubara untuk menyampaikan ceramah.
NGO, belia perlu ambil iktibar peristiwa hijrah - PM
Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menyeru pertubuhan bukan kerajaan dan gerakan belia mengambil iktibar daripada peristiwa Hijrah Nabi Muhammad SAW untuk mengembalikan kegemilangan negara.
Kehadiran ATM di Timur Sabah berikan keyakinan masyarakat setempat
Kehadiran pasukan Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) di Timur Sabah meningkatkan keyakinan masyarakat setempat serta merancakkan lagi pembangunan sektor pelancongan, ekonomi dan sosial di kawasan itu.
![Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-12/61703329565_TBBERITAx.jpg)
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Ahad, 7 Julai 2024.
![Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-03/71709993909_TBBERITAx.jpg)
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Ahad, 7 Julai 2024.
Enam cedera hari pertama Festival Larian Lembu di Sepanyol
Meskipun ada yang cedera, acara tersebut sentiasa mendapat perhatian dan tahun ini, ratusan orang mengejar enam ekor lembu jantan di bandar itu.
![Xi Jinping seru SCO berwaspada terhadap ancaman berbaur Perang Dingin Xi Jinping seru SCO berwaspada terhadap ancaman berbaur Perang Dingin](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71720178611_TBSeniorChineseL.jpg)
Xi Jinping seru SCO berwaspada terhadap ancaman berbaur Perang Dingin
Presiden China, Xi Jinping menyeru negara anggota Pertubuhan Kerjasama Shanghai (SCO) berwaspada terhadap ancaman yang berbaur Perang Dingin.
![China sokong usaha Kazakhstan untuk sertai BRICS China sokong usaha Kazakhstan untuk sertai BRICS](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71720107136_OrganizationSCOs.jpg)
China sokong usaha Kazakhstan untuk sertai BRICS
Pengumuman dibuat dalam satu kenyataan bersama selepas pertemuan antara Presiden Xi Jinping dan Presiden Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
![OpenAI bakal tinggalkan China, syarikat AI lain mungkin menyusul OpenAI bakal tinggalkan China, syarikat AI lain mungkin menyusul](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/61707662600_OpenAI.jpg)
OpenAI bakal tinggalkan China, syarikat AI lain mungkin menyusul
OpenAI mengeluarkan kenyataan mengatakan bahawa mereka akan meninggalkan pasaran China pada 9 Julai ini.
![Aplikasi SuperApp untuk rujukan pemaju hartanah dan pembeli menjelang tahun depan - KPKT Aplikasi SuperApp untuk rujukan pemaju hartanah dan pembeli menjelang tahun depan - KPKT](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41720051183_tbNgaKorMing.jpg)
Aplikasi SuperApp untuk rujukan pemaju hartanah dan pembeli menjelang tahun depan - KPKT
Aplikasi SuperApp menyediakan berbagai layanan dalam satu platform, dijangka dilancarkan tahun depan.
![China, Filipina setuju teruskan dialog mengenai Laut China Selatan China, Filipina setuju teruskan dialog mengenai Laut China Selatan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-03/61709632005_TBRESUPPLUBOAT.jpg)
China, Filipina setuju teruskan dialog mengenai Laut China Selatan
China dan Filipina mengadakan mesyuarat kesembilan berhubung Mekanisme Perundingan Dua Hala (BCM) di Laut China Selatan.
![BAJC: China lebur impian Malaysia ke pentas final BAJC: China lebur impian Malaysia ke pentas final](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81719868974_Beregulelakinegara.jpg)
BAJC: China lebur impian Malaysia ke pentas final
Impian skuad negara untuk pertama kali mara ke final Kejohanan Badminton Remaja Asia (BAJC) 2024 lebur apabila tewas 1-3 kepada China.
![Pasangan panda gergasi China tiba di AS Pasangan panda gergasi China tiba di AS](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/61719548642_giantpanda.jpg)
Pasangan panda gergasi China tiba di AS
Yun Chuan, panda gergasi jantan berusia lima tahun dan Xin Bao, panda betina berusia empat tahun, dipilih dari CCRCGP.
![Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-03/71709993909_TBBERITAx.jpg)
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
![MWC Shanghai 2024: Manfaat 5G-A dengan suntikan AI untuk pengguna MWC Shanghai 2024: Manfaat 5G-A dengan suntikan AI untuk pengguna](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/51719465421_MWCShanghai.jpg)
MWC Shanghai 2024: Manfaat 5G-A dengan suntikan AI untuk pengguna
Richard Liu, President Pemasaran dan Penjualan Solusi ICT Huawei harini telah berkongsi sedikit sebanyak potensi 5G-A apabila
![Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-03/71709993909_TBBERITAx.jpg)
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.