China changes virus rules, removes curbs on int'l flights despite rise in COVID-19 cases

China's health officials on Saturday said the latest easing of some of its sweeping COVID-19 policies are aimed at alleviating shortages of resources, warning that it is not a "relaxation" of policies.

"The constant optimization of prevention and control measures against the epidemic is not a relaxation of epidemic prevention and control," said Lei Haichao, China's deputy director of the National Health Commission.

"The optimized measures will significantly alleviate some of the bottlenecks and obstacles encountered in the handling of epidemics in various regions," Lei added, referencing shortages of quarantine facilities and manpower.

Beijing on Friday announced changes to its anti-virus controls, including shortening quarantine time for inbound travelers and close contacts of COVID patients, lifting penalties for airlines that have a number of coronavirus cases, and requirements for lowering risk categories for areas that have virus cases.

Incoming passengers will only be quarantined for five days - rather than the previous seven - at a designated location, followed by three days of isolation at their place of residence, according to a notice from the State Council, China's Cabinet.

Airlines will no longer be threatened with a two-week suspension of flights if five or more passengers test positive, the regulations said, potentially providing a major expansion of seats on such flights that have shrunk in numbers and soared in price since restrictions were imposed in 2020.

Lei also warned against refusing emergency medical care to those in need, even as the nation enforces strict coronavirus lockdowns in communities where cases are found.

"We can't shirk and refuse the patients in order to reach 'zero risk' under the epidemic situation," he said.

Last week, people posted outraged comments on social media after a 3-year-old boy whose compound in the northwest was under quarantine died of carbon monoxide poisoning. His father complained that guards who were enforcing the closure refused to help and tried to stop him as he rushed his son to a hospital.

A commerce ministry official called for improving the protection of foreign investment enterprises amid outbreaks and stringent COVID prevention measures that has seen factories go into lockdown.

"Focusing on key production-based factories and warehouse logistics enterprises in the chain of key foreign-funded enterprises, we need to strengthen services to ensure the stability of the industrial chain and supply chain," said An Baojun, a senior official at the Ministry of Commerce.