China's Chongqing city urges people with mild COVID-19 symptoms to go to work 'as normal'

Until the protests against Zero-COVID in China spread all across the country, authorities in Beijing were pursuing strict policies which restricted movement of people. This, needless to say, impacted the spending pattern of people. This negative impact on spending patterns was discussed in China's Central Economic Work Conference, which concluded recently. The Central Economic Work Conference is the conference where the economic roadmap for next year is laid out. According to a report from the South China Morning Post, Chinese leaders talked about the necessity to restore normal spending patterns, as the absence of spending was hurting domestic consumption. 

The shift in China's policy can be seen in the megacity of Chongqing. Instead of quarantining people with COVID symptoms, authorities in Chongqing are asking people with mild symptoms to go to work and continue with their life. This is significant because the fear was, once China starts experiencing a surge in cases, it might give up on the policy of 'living with COVID' and go back to 'zero-COVID'. The Chongqing government has also said that PCR tests are no longer required to enter public places. However, they will be required to enter into care homes for the elderly and nurseries. 

Why do developments in Chongqing matter? 

Like other cities, Chongqing started experiencing a surge in cases when the authorities relaxed their restrictions. The number of infections exceeded 80,000, as per a report from Xinhua. The fact that despite the surge, Chongqing is urging people to go to work depicts that China has made a complete pivot away from zero-COVID to living with COVID. Chongqing is a major city in southwestern China, located in the Sichuan Basin on the banks of the Yangtze River. It is the largest city in China by land area and population, and is a major transportation hub, with a number of major roads, railways, and waterways passing through the city. 

It is home to a number of major industries, including automotive, chemical, and heavy machinery manufacturing, as well as a number of service sector industries, such as finance, technology, and tourism. Chongqing's strategic location on the Yangtze River and its strong transportation infrastructure have made it an important hub for trade and commerce, and it is a major gateway to the western regions of China. The city is also home to a number of major ports, including the Chongqing Port, which is the largest inland port in China and a major hub for the transportation of goods to and from the interior of the country.