After China abandons 'zero-Covid' policy, cases drop, new variants stop emerging

After dystopic scenes were reported in the last two months of 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in China, the situation has considerably improved. Despite a busy festival season that included the Chinese New Year travel rush, cases in the country have not witnessed a major uptick.

China's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggestedthe number of infections peaked in mid-December last year and since have plateaued.

"There has not been an obvious rebound in Covid cases during the Lunar New Year holidays," said CDC.

The data showed that 6.94 million daily cases were reported on December 22 which had plunged to 30,000 on January 30.

The number of people hospitalised also reached a peak of 1.6 million in January, which has now trickled down to 144,000 as of January 30 figures.

Xi Jinping and his governmentwas long advised by countries across to give up on the draconian 'zero-Covid' policy. However, an adamant Jinping stuck to the policy which backfired promptly.

An unprecedented number of cases were reported across the country as overflowing hospitals could not contain the spread. Ordinary people were forced to live in attritional conditions as the situation turned pear-shaped.

After much criticism, Jinping finally caved in and on December 7, the zero-Covid policy was abruptly abandoned.

Since then,no new variant of Covid has emerged - suggesting that herd immunity hadbeen achieved to some extent.

A new study conducted by Chinese researchers analysing 413 samples showed that there is no evidence that 'novel variants' have emerged.

BF.7 and BA5.2, Omicron subvariants remain the dominant variants, accounting for more than 90 per cent of the cases.

"Our analysis suggests two known Omicron sub-variants,rather than any new variants have chiefly been responsible for the current surge in Beijing, and likely China as a whole," said one of the lead authors of the study.

After the cases started to grow in China, fears were cast that another bout of the pandemic was around the corner. Several countries imposed fresh travel restrictions citing a lack of transparency from the Chinese authorities.

However, the dip in numbers and absence of any notable variant is expected to simmer down the apprehensions.

(With inputs from agencies)

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