China outlines necessary conditions to adjust its ‘No COVID-19’ strategy

In an interview on CCTV on March 21, Liang Wannian – head of China’s anti-COVID-19 expert panel – pointed out the conditions that include the SARS-CoV virus-fighting tool- 2 is better, the virus is less rampant and epidemics in countries are less severe.

Mr. Liang said China will evaluate factors at the same time when considering changing its anti-epidemic strategy or deciding to return to normal.

“I know everyone hopes the pandemic will end soon, but the virus and the disease do not depend on our will,” expert Liang emphasized.

Liang said that the best scenario to end the pandemic would be for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to mutate into a weaker pathogen, spread more slowly and pose less danger to human health, or have other types of virus. Vaccines prevent infection instead of just preventing the disease from becoming severe as it is today.

In March alone, China recorded over 42,000 community cases when the Omicron variant appeared. About 95% of cases are asymptomatic or mild, making China question whether to adjust its anti-epidemic strategy like other countries, loosening measures to restore the economy.

On March 22, China recorded 2,281 symptomatic COVID-19 cases in the community and 2,313 asymptomatic cases. Liang said half of the cases that have not developed symptoms are the result of the country’s drastic interventions.

“They should have had symptoms, but because we intervened and treated them in time, the time of onset of the disease was interrupted, they did not develop symptoms anymore,” Mr. Liang explained.

“You cannot conclude that the high rate of asymptomatic cases is due to the virus. That number is due to the level of effectiveness in control and prevention measures,” the senior expert said, adding that one person infected with the Omicron variant can infect up to 6-8 people.

Although the Omicron variant is not as dangerous as Delta, it still causes a high rate of severe illness and death in China due to its population. This could place an additional burden on China’s health system once the epidemic is left unchecked.

“Maintaining a ‘No COVID-19’ strategy gives us time to control the epidemic. As we make certain advances in vaccinations and medicines, the Omicron variant turns to a milder and less contagious strain. That would be the best chance,” concluded Mr. Liang.

In northeastern China’s Jilin province, 1,902 symptomatic cases and 563 asymptomatic cases were recorded as of March 22. In an online meeting a day earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Ton Xuan Lan urged an epidemiological investigation and isolated cases within the day to prevent the chain of transmission.