Chinese people cheer as country loosens zero-COVID policy restrictions

Beijing residents said on Wednesday they welcomed sweeping changes announced by China to its tough zero-COVID policies since the pandemic began three years ago, loosening rules that curbed the spread of the virus but sparked protests and hobbled the world's second-largest economy.

The relaxation of rules, which includes allowing infected people with mild symptoms to quarantine at home and dropping testing for people travelling domestically, is the clearest sign yet Beijing is pivoting away from its zero-COVID policy to let people live with the disease.

"It’s impossible to kill this virus completely, maybe just live with it and hope it will evolve into flu," said 22-year-old unemployed local resident Yan, who was optimistic that a further relaxation of the zero-COVID policy would enable him to find work.

However, the looser approach has also set off a rush for cough and fever medicines as some residents, particularly the unvaccinated elderly, feel more vulnerable to a virus that has largely been kept in check by Beijing's strict policy.

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