Shanghai to remove Covid test in indoor venues & restaurants

SHANGHAI: Shanghai on Thursday announced measures as part of the implementation of China’s 10 new steps for optimizing the Covid-19 response. From Friday, negative Covid test certificates are not needed for indoor entertainment venues and restaurants in Shanghai, Global Times reported.

Special requirements continue to remain in places like elderly care, children’s welfare institutions, medical institutions and schools. Shanghai announced that no mass Covid testing will be conducted at the administrative region level except for employees in high-risk positions and high-risk areas. The new measures have been announced in Shanghai after China optimized its Covid response by releasing 10 new measures.

Wu Jinglei, deputy director of the office of municipal epidemic prevention and control leading group, in a press briefing on Thursday said, other people can get themselves tested voluntarily and residents without testing records within seven days will not be subject to a yellow health code, as per the Global Times report.

Wu Jinglei added that Shanghai will continue to have nucleic acid testing sites and will give free testing services. According to the new measures announced by Shanghai on Thursday, symptomatic carriers, and mild Covid-19 cases meeting certain requirements will be permitted to isolate at home from Friday.

The health department will monitor the positive cases during home quarantine and they will be able to come out of isolation if their CT value equals or is above 35 for two consecutive times on the sixth and seventh day of the quarantine, as per the news report.

According to authorities, patients with deteriorating health conditions will be shifted to hospitals for treatment. Testing requirement no longer exists for people arriving in the city, according to Global Times report. The authorities said that close contacts who meet quarantine requirements can stay in home quarantine for five days. People no longer need to register information before buying medicines like cough relief, antiviral and cold.

China’s decision to ease restrictions comes after large-scale protests erupted in the country against the zero-Covid policy. Notably, China has been adhering to a zero-Covid policy ever since the pandemic emerged. China has conducted mass testing, imposing lockdowns and travel restrictions to curb the virus. Protest erupted in Shanghai after a fire broke out at an apartment building in Urumqi on November 24.