China marked the first day of “Chun Yun” on Saturday, the 40-day period of Lunar New Year travel known pre-pandemic as the world’s largest annual migration of people, bracing for an increase in travellers and the spread of COVID-19 infections. 2 billion passengers to take trips over the next 40 days, said transport ministry. This Lunar New Year public holiday, which officially runs from Jan. 21, will be the first since 2020 without domestic travel restrictions.

Last month, China has seen the dramatic dismantling of its “zero-COVID” regime following historic protests against a policy that included frequent testing, restricted movement, mass lockdowns and heavy damage to the world’s No.2 economy.

Maximum Travellers Expected To Visit China

Investors hoping that the reopening will reinvigorate a $17-trillion economy suffering its lowest growth in nearly half a century.

However, the abrupt changes have exposed many of China’s 1.4 billion population to the virus for the first time, triggering a wave of infections that is overwhelming some hospitals, emptying pharmacy shelves of medication and causing long lines to form at crematoriums.

China’s Ministry of Transport said on Friday that it expects more than 2 billion passengers to take trips over the next 40 days, an increase of 99.5% year-on-year and reaching 70.3% of 2019 trip numbers.

Reactions Of Netizens And Experts

Despite the Lunar New Year, netizens’ reaction to this news was mixed. Some comments hail the freedom to return to hometowns and celebrate the Lunar New Year with family for the first time in years.

Many others, however, said they would not travel this year, with the worry of infecting elderly relatives a common theme.

“I dare not go back to my hometown, for fear of bringing the poison back,” said a netizen.

A senior China economist at Capital Economics, Julian Evans-Pritchard, acknowledged that risk in a Friday note but went on to say that “in the large cities that make up much of China’s economy, it seems the worst has passed”.

Ernan Cui, the analyst at Gavekal Dragonomics in Beijing, cited several online surveys as indicating that the current wave of infections may have already peaked in most regions, noting there was “not much difference between urban and rural areas.”

China Lifts COVID-19 Travel Restrictions

The country’s civil aviation regulator has vowed to restore international passenger traffic. China has lifted the quarantine requirements for inbound travellers even as the country continues to grapple with a COVID-19 surge that has sparked global concern.  It’s the most significant move yet as it veers away from its stringent Zero-COVID policy.

Beijing is planning to drop a requirement for students at city schools to have a negative Covid-19 test to enter campus. The classes will resume on February 13. While schools will be allowed to move classes online in the event of new outbreaks, they must return to in-person instruction as soon as possible, the city education bureau said.

Hospitals in China are under immense pressure after the government abruptly abandoned its ‘Zero-COVID’ policy last month, leading to a massive spike in COVID infections. The surging wave of infections across the country has overwhelmed hospitals, emptied pharmacies of medicines and caused international alarm.

Also Read:  China Lifts Travel Regulations: End Of Zero-COVID Policy

-Bharat Express