Covid protests in China: Relief as major cities ease curbs

Further easing of Covid-19 testing requirements and quarantine rules in some Chinese cities was met with a mix of relief and worry yesterday as hundreds of millions await an expected shift in national virus policies after widespread social unrest.

The looser measures were welcomed by workers frustrated by three years of economically damaging curbs but have jolted others who suddenly feel more exposed to a disease authorities had consistently described as deadly until this week.

China's Covid policies have stifled everything from domestic consumption, to factory output and global supply chains, and have inflicted severe mental stress on hundreds of millions of people.

Anger over the world's toughest curbs fuelled dozens of protests in more than 20 cities in recent days in a show of civil disobedience unprecedented in mainland China since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012.

"Finally, we can slowly return to our normal lives," said Lili, 41, who works for a chain of restaurants in Guangzhou that were allowed to reopen on Thursday.

Lockdown interruptions over the last few years resulted in a 30% drop in earnings, she said.

"The public could not stand it any longer, and everyone wished that we could reopen ... The Guangzhou government probably heard what we were asking for and thought it was about time," said Lili.

Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, who oversees Covid efforts, said this week the ability of the virus to cause disease was weakening - a message that aligns with what health authorities around the world have said.

Some communities now require less frequent testing and are allowing close contacts of infected people to quarantine at home, according to state media, measures expected to be rolled out nationwide in coming days.