Xi Jinping’s First Remarks On Covid In China: Feasibly Protect People’s Lives

Chinese president Xi Jinping urged officials to take steps to “feasibly protect people’s lives”.

In first remarks on Covid since China dramatically loosened its stringent ‘Zero-Covid policy’, Xi Jinping said, “We should launch the patriotic health campaign in a more targeted way… fortify a community line of defence for epidemic prevention and control, and feasibly protect people’s lives, safety and health.

The comments come as residents of Chinese cities edge closer to living with Covid even as medical workers across the country scramble to cope with new infections in the country ad the virus is now spreading unchecked.

Reports have said that hospitals in China are overwhelmed with five- to six-times more patients than usual, mostly elderly while all levels of government in the country are intensifying efforts to ensure that demand for medicines and other supplies is met.