China changes name to coronavirus and lifts entry rules

The National Health Commission of China made a major announcement on the epidemic prevention and control measures late on the night of 26th. It renamed the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) as “novel coronavirus infection”, and changed the “Category B A tube” from “Category B B tube” from January 8th next year. Infected people will no longer be quarantined, and nucleic acid testing and centralized quarantine of all staff upon entry will be cancelled. All you need to do is take a nucleic acid test 48 hours before departure.

Hong Kong media “Hong Kong 01” collated the key points of the Q&As of the Chinese Health Commission on 26th. First, the background of the introduction of the plan is that experts in China and abroad generally believe that the general direction of the mutation of the novel coronavirus is “less pathogenic”, “more inclined to upper respiratory tract infection”, “shorter incubation period”, and the Omicron variant has become the dominant strain in the global epidemic. Although the number of infected people is large, but the virulence of the disease is significantly reduced compared to the early stage, so that the disease gradually evolved into a common respiratory infectious disease; Therefore, after taking into account the characteristics of the virus, the epidemic situation, vaccination, medical resource preparation and prevention and control experience, it is concluded that China has the basic conditions for adjusting the infection of the novel coronavirus from “Class B A tube” to “Class B B tube”.

As for why the name “novel coronavirus” was changed to “novel coronavirus infection”, the authorities said that when it was originally named “novel coronavirus”, most of the cases had pneumonia symptoms, but as Omicron became the main epidemic strain, the pathogenicity weakened and only a few cases showed pneumonia symptoms. Considering that pneumonia only reflects the relatively serious disease status after virus infection and cannot summarize the clinical characteristics of all infected persons, the name “novel coronavirus pneumonia” was changed to “novel coronavirus infection”, which is more in line with the current disease characteristics and harm.

In the section on the management of personnel exchanges between China and Foreign countries, according to the question and answer content of the Health Commission and the Notice on Interim Measures for Personnel Exchanges between China and Foreign Countries issued by the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of The State Council on December 27, the first is that people going to China must undergo nucleic acid test 48 hours before their trip. Those who are negative do not need to apply for a health code from the Chinese diplomatic and consular missions abroad, and the result can be filled in the customs health declaration card. If positive, should turn negative before going to the middle; 2. After the cancellation of nucleic acid testing and centralized isolation of all staff, health declaration is normal and the customs port routine quarantine is not abnormal, can be released into the community; The third is to cancel the “five-one” and passenger load limit and other international passenger flight number control measures; 4. Airlines should continue to prevent disease on board, and passengers should wear masks on board. 5) We will further optimize arrangements for foreign nationals returning to work and production, for business, for study, for family visits, and for reunions, provide visa facilitation, gradually resume the entry and exit of passengers at sea and land ports, and orderly resume outbound travel for Chinese citizens in light of the international epidemic situation and the ability to provide services in all aspects.