Covid-19 strategy was 'optimised', says Chinese premier Xi Jinping

Country approves Merck's Covid-19 antiviral as drug shortage continues

Chinese President Xi Jinping said the country’s Covid-19 strategy was “optimised” to protect people’s lives and minimise economic costs, his first comments on the issue since his government abruptly started dismantling the harsh policy earlier this month.
 

“We have optimised Covid control strategy based on time and situation in order to best protect people’s lives and health, and minimize the impact on economic and social development,” Xi said while listing his achievements this year at an event with the nation’s top political advisory body, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday.
 

The Xinhua report quoted Xi using the phrase “Covid control strategy,” instead of the one for “Covid Zero.”
 

Running out
 

China has approved Merck’s Covid-19 antiviral molnupiravir for emergency use as Beijing seeks to expand access to treatments amid a massive wave of infections.
 

The drug, known by the brand name Lagevrio, has been granted conditional emergency approval, National Medical Products Administration of China said on Friday.  It’s the second foreign Covid-19 treatment cleared for use in China after authorities gave Pfizer’s Paxlovid the go-ahead in early 2022. 
 

Discriminatory measures
 

Chinese state-media have railed against the growing number of foreign governments imposing Covid tests on travellers from China, calling the measures “discriminatory.”
 

“The real intention is to sabotage China’s three years of Covid-19 control efforts and attack the country’s system,” state-run tabloid Global Times said in an article on Thursday, calling the restrictions “unfounded” and “discriminatory.”