How China hopes to chart path to soft landing after Covid restrictions start to ease

Days after a deadly fire in Urumqi propelled fatigued communities to take to the streets, China has initiated an unannounced yet palpable movement away from its “zero-Covid” strategy by lifting lockdowns, ending mass testing and reopening public venues across key provinces.

But Beijing is concerned that the inevitable wave of infections after restrictions are loosened, could lead to a surge in deaths, overwhelm the health system and trigger political instability.

Policy and public health analysts say there are a number of preconditions that must be met – including fully equipped hospitals, a well-informed population and satisfactory vaccination rates, especially among high-risk groups such as the elderly – if any forceful departure from the policy is to result in a soft landing, where the population coexists with the virus while avoiding a high death rate or economic or political turmoil.