China Covid: Beijing eases some curbs despite rising cases
By Frances Mao
BBC News
China has slightly relaxed some of its Covid restrictions even as case numbers rise to their highest levels in months.
Quarantine for close contacts will be cut from seven days in a state facility to five days and three days at home.
Officials will also stop recording secondary contacts - meaning many people will avoid having to quarantine.
The slight easing comes weeks after Xi Jinping was re-instated as party leader for a historic third term.
Mr Xi held his first Covid meeting with his newly elected Standing Committee on Thursday.
China's zero-Covid policy has saved lives in the country of 1.4 billion people but also dealt a punishing blow to the economy and ordinary people's lives.
There is increasing public fatigue over lockdowns and travel restrictions.
Stories of suffering and desperation have also circulated on social media, fuelling many outbursts of civic anger.
China's National Health Commission (NHC) insisted the changes did not amount to "relaxing prevention and control, let alone opening up", but were instead designed to adapt to a changing Covid situation.
The NHC also said it would develop a plan to speed up vaccinations.
The politics driving China's hellish lockdowns China outcry over death of girl sent to quarantine Lockdown delayed potentially life-saving treatment On Friday, the changes were announced even as the country grapples with its worst wave of Covid in months.
The cities of Beijing, Guangzhou and Zhengzhou are currently seeing record numbers.
On Thursday, China recorded over 10,500 new Covid cases - the highest daily total since April when China shut down its largest city Shanghai to combat a