Beijing closes some Covid testing booths as China enters new phase of pandemic controls

Nearly three years of strict Covid controls have seriously hurt China’s economy. Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan, who leads the country’s pandemic response, said on November 30, 2022, that China’s virus control measures were entering a new phase as the virus weakens and vaccinations become more widespread. In a sign of a possible easing of anti-Covid measures, Beijing authorities have asked people who mostly stay home to skip the required regular Covid tests, while many of the testing booths have been shut. But the sudden closures have posed problems for the majority who still require 48-hour negative test results for entry into many public places.