BEIJING: Chinese people, cut off from the rest of the world for three years by Covid-19 curbs, flocked to travel sites yesterday ahead of borders reopening, even as rising infections further strained the health system and roiled the economy.
Zero-tolerance measures have battered China's economy since early 2020, fuelling last month the mainland's biggest show of public discontent since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012.
His policy U-turn this month means the virus is now spreading largely unchecked across the country of 1.4 billion people.
Official figures, however, showed only one Covid death in the past seven days until Monday, fuelling doubts among health experts and residents about the government's data. International health experts estimate millions of daily infections and predict at least one million Covid deaths in China next year.
Meanwhile, Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, Thailand's public health permanent secretary, responded to China's reopening saying the kingdom needs to wait to observe the protocol of the Chinese government in terms of how to screen its travellers coming in and out of the country.
However, Thais must receive two booster doses to raise their immunity against the virus, he said.
Social distancing, wearing face masks in congested areas and regular hand washing are still necessary, he added.