A health worker takes a swab sample from a woman to be tested for the Covid-19 coronavirus at a swab collection site in Beijing on December 11, 2022.
Top epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan told state media in an interview published Sunday that the Omicron strain of the virus prevalent in China was highly transmissible and could lead to a surge in cases. The easing of China’s so-called “zero-Covid” policy followed nationwide protests against harsh virus rules that had battered the economy and confined millions to their homes.
She said 106,000 doctors and 177,700 nurses will be redirected to intensive care units to cope with the spike in coronavirus patients, but did not offer details on how this would affect the health system’s ability to treat other diseases.Long lines sprung up outside pharmacies in Beijing on Sunday as residents rushed to stockpile cold and fever medicines and antigen test kits.