Chinese health authority Gu Xiaohong believes that the mutation of Covid-19 should prompt the country to change its official name.
By ThePoint.fr (with AFP)
© FANG DONGXU / MAXPPP / Featurechina/MAXPPP
Published on
Un change in size after three years of pandemic. As Reuters reports, Gu Xiaohong, who heads the infectious diseases branch of the Chinese Medical Association, said the novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, had mutated, and China should change its official name. , in order to reflect the mutation. The leading authority on traditional Chinese medicine said in particular that the Chinese name for the coronavirus, which identifies it as a disease causing pneumonia, should be changed to simply call it an infectious virus.
Chinese health authorities have therefore reached a consensus to change the way they describe Covid-19, marked by the recent relaxation of rules in the country. Since the start of the pandemic, China has emphasized large-scale testing and quarantining positive cases in specialized facilities. Gu Xiaohong said China’s approach to COVID-19 should shift from “passive detection” to “active prevention”. She added that when a person suffers from a mild illness, they should undergo convalescence at home.
An inevitable easing in the face of an economy in crisis
On Wednesday, December 7, China unveiled new measures to ease some of the world’s toughest Covid-19 restrictions, following three years of a “zero-Covid” policy in the country. These drastic rules have triggered protest movements and affected the Chinese economy. If the “zero-Covid” policy is not abandoned entirely, China is making adjustments such as allowing people with mild or no symptoms to quarantine at home. Also, testing for people traveling within the country is no longer mandatory.
READ ALSOChina in zero Covid deadlock
The announcement comes hours after the official release of worrying new figures for the world’s second-largest economy. In November, China saw its exports and imports collapse, under the combined effect of its health policy and sluggish demand. While the Chinese economy should have recorded one of its worst growth performances in four decades this year, getting out of “zero Covid” is a delicate operation. “Finding the right balance between Covid-19 control measures and economic growth has once again become a central issue,” economist Wang Zhe warned on Monday.
Health Newsletter
List of hospitals and clinics, special files, tips and tricks… Every Tuesday, find our selection of articles from our Health section.
The editorial staff of Le Point advises you