Experts cautious on spread of new variants of COVID-19 with China easing travel restrictions

With the end of China’s zero Covid policy, it has lifted several Covid rules. China on Monday decided to withdraw quarantine for travelers.

The decision to drop quarantine for overseas visitors from 8 January has prompted concerns about the potential for new variants beyond China’s borders, the Guardian reads.

It has further stated that surveillance on the spread and severity of Covid is more difficult than ever as Beijing has stopped publishing daily case numbers and ended mass testing.

Mentioning that experts say the lack of data is likely masking the number and severity of cases the Guardian writes “As China abruptly dropped some of its toughest Covid-19 restrictions – including scrapping quarantine rules for travellers – virologists are watching nervously to see how this may impact Covid-19 variants and their global spread, with some countries already ramping up precautionary measures”.