Analysis: Guangzhou Becomes Test Case for Coexistence With Covid in China

China’s southern metropolis of Guangzhou this week relaxed a number of tough Covid restrictions including lockdowns and mandatory testing, becoming a test case for the government’s recent tentative moves to shift away from “zero-Covid” amid rising public frustration with the policy.

The capital of Guangdong province, which has been among the hardest hit cities in the latest outbreak, on Wednesday announced the lifting of temporary lockdowns in parts of the city and allowed close contacts of Covid patients who meet certain conditions to undergo quarantine in their own homes rather than in centralized facilities.