China Covid policy: Zero covid policy is not sustainable; Shift strategy: WHO says

China’s widely discussed dynamic zero-covid policy has drawn sharp criticism from the WHO, which has called it “sustainable” in light of the coronavirus’ ever-changing behavior, and has called on Beijing to change its strategy.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanam Ghebreiss made the remarks on Tuesday while commenting on China’s zero-cove policy, under which many Chinese cities, including Shanghai and Beijing, have long been under lockdown or semi-lockdown.

“We all know that the virus is evolving, changing its behavior and becoming more contagious. With that changing behavior, it’s important to change your system,” Tedros said.

“When we talk about the zero covid strategy, what we expect in the future is not sustainable considering the behavior of the virus now, especially when we now have a good knowledge and understanding of the virus,” he told the media. Briefing in Geneva.

With the availability of better equipment, shifting to another strategy would be crucial, Tedros said in a recording of his press conference broadcast to the media by the WHO.

“We have discussed the issue with Chinese experts and we have indicated that the method will not be sustainable. Considering the behavior of the virus, I think a change would be very important,” he said, sharply criticizing China’s zero-covid policy. Beijing at the behest of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

On Wednesday, China’s National Health Commission reported 1,847 cases, mostly from Shanghai, the country’s business center of more than 25 million people, which had been under lockdown for more than a month.

Also, the capital Beijing, which is under a semi-lockdown, conducted its ninth nuclear acid test on Wednesday for more than 21 million people. The tenth test will be held on Thursday.

As China continues its fierce battle to stem the spread of the Omicron variant, President Xi is urging officials to adhere to the harshly criticized dynamic zero-covid policy, saying epidemic prevention has reached a critical stage.

In his widely circulated remarks at a meeting of the ruling Communist Party’s high-powered political bureau in Beijing on May 4 to review the Kovid-19 situation, President Xi stressed that epidemic prevention and control is at a critical stage and called for compliance efforts. Dynamic zero-COVID principle.

Last week, China canceled the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou in September and the World University Games due to start in Chengdu in late June.

Protecting the zero-cove policy under which China has canceled flights with several countries, including India, for more than two years, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters late last month that China is currently facing an Omicron tsunami.

“This variant spreads very fast, much faster than we can imagine,” he said.

Zhao said China had brought the Delta Alternative Strike under control in about 14 days in 2021, but the Omicron attack was much more serious.

Since the first deadly coronavirus appeared in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019, it has claimed the lives of 62,55,791 people and infected more than 51,87,94,928.