More COVID-related restrictions lifted around the country
Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, has dropped the requirement for a negative PCR test to use public transport.
COVID-19 restrictions have further been relaxed in multiple places across China amid a national adjustment in prevention policies.
Starting from today, residents in Shandong, Zhejiang and Henan provinces don't have to register to buy four types of medicine, including drugs to reduce fever, anti-viral agents, cough medicine and antibiotics. No negative PCR report is needed when purchasing the medicines.
PCR screening for passengers arriving in Shandong is no longer required at airports, railway stations, ports or highway entrances. People don't have to show their health codes when using public transport or entering public venues such as parks, scenic areas and service stations.
In Zhejiang, regular PCR screening is suspended from today in cities including Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Taizhou, Shaoxing, Jiaxing, Jinhua, Zhoushan and Huzhou.
Venue codes and negative PCR tests are no longer required when using public transport, but are still needed when entering aged-care homes, schools and kindergartens.
Zhejiang is urging people 60 years and older to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible to build immune barriers against the Omicron strain.
An official pastes a venue code at the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi to prepare for the reopening.
Venues such as cinemas, beauty salons and Internet cafes will reopen in Henan Province and in the city of Urumqi in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. A 48-hour negative PCR report is needed to enter such venues in Henan.
Urumqi no longer requires a negative test to enter public venues, but testing sites remain at traffic hubs, commercial areas and residential compounds for those who need them to enter "high-risk areas." Apart from those areas, no regular PCR screening will be conducted in the city, effective today.
In Jiangxi and Yunnan provinces, no negative PCR report is required to enter outdoor scenic areas. The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region said arriving passengers will need a 72-hour negative PCR report to enter scenic areas and accommodation services.
At the moment, a green health code is still needed to use public transport in Henan, Hubei and Jiangxi provinces, while a 48-hour negative PCR test is needed in Beijing.
The Chinese mainland yesterday reported 4,247 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said today.
Altogether, 25,477 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified.
A total of 3,913 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the mainland yesterday, the commission in its daily report.
Since last week, relaxed restrictions have been rolled out in major cities and provinces, including Shanghai and Guangdong Province.
