Top China expert: Following the loosening of the laws, Covid is “growing swiftly.”

Beijing’s stores and eateries are abandoned as the nation braces for an outbreak of diseases as a result of the decision to pull back mandated testing, permit some positive individuals to quarantine at home, and lift widespread lockdowns.
In the aftermath of the government’s decision to abandon its tough coronavirus stance, one of China’s top medical authorities has warned of an increase in Covid-19 infections, according to official media on Sunday.
Beijing’s stores and eateries are abandoned as the nation braces for an outbreak of diseases as a result of the decision to pull back mandated testing, permit some positive individuals to quarantine at home, and lift widespread lockdowns.
In an interview with state media that was released on Sunday, leading epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan stated that the Omicron strain of the virus that is common in China was extremely contagious and might cause an increase in cases.
One individual can spread the (present) Omicron mutation to as many as 22 other people, according to Zhong, a key government advisor during the epidemic. Even with effective preventative and control measures, it will be challenging to totally break the transmission cycle given the current fast expansion of the disease in China.
China’s so-called “zero-Covid” policy was loosened in response to widespread demonstrations over the strict viral regulations that had devastated the economy and forced millions of people inside their homes. However, the nation is currently dealing with an increase in cases that it is ill-equipped to handle, with millions of older people who have not had all recommended vaccinations and underfunded facilities that are unable to accommodate large patient volumes.
Jiao Yahui, head of the Department of Medical Affairs at the National Health Commission, issued a warning on Friday that there is one critical care unit bed for every 10,000 people in the nation. She stated that in order to handle the surge in coronavirus patients, 106,000 doctors and 177,700 nurses will be diverted to critical care units, but she did not provide information on how this would effect the health system’s capacity to treat patients.
On Sunday, long lineups formed outside pharmacies in Beijing as people hurried to stockpile antigen test kits and cold and fever medications. Some individuals told AFP they were buying medications online from pharmacies in surrounding cities. Julie Jiang, a resident of Beijing, stated, “I’ve requested my relatives in Shijiazhuang to courier fever medicine because neighbouring pharmacies don’t have inventories.”
In Beijing, dozens of eateries and small businesses posted posters announcing that they were “temporarily closed” without providing any information. Without adequate delivery drivers, a number of significant online grocery and food delivery services, including Meituan, Fresh Hippo, and Ding Dong, struggled to function in Beijing.
Liu Cheng, a mother of two small children who resides in the Jianguomen district of downtown Beijing, declared, “I’m terrified to venture out.” Many of my acquaintances who have Covid symptoms have tested positive while self-examining, but they haven’t told anybody or visited a hospital about it.
Following the government’s decision to discontinue systematic mass testing, official caseloads in China have dramatically decreased. Now, only some groups, such as healthcare professionals and delivery drivers, are free from the regulations.