Will Omicron finally overpower China s COVID defences?

All eyes are on China as it attempts to quash its largest COVID-19 outbreaks since the early days of the pandemic. More than 62,000 people across all 31 of its provinces are infected, most of them with the fast-spreading BA.2 Omicron variant.

The outbreaks have plunged tens of millions of people into lockdown. President Xi Jinping announced earlier this month that China would stick to its dynamic zero-COVID strategy , which aims to stamp out infections and prevent the virus from spreading through communities. This policy now stands in contrast to a global trend towards easing restrictions and attempting to co-exist with the circulating virus.

China s hard-line approach to eliminating COVID-19 seems to be softening. In his speech, Xi also flagged a more pragmatic strategy, asking that officials limit the economic impact of control measures. In practice, this means that people with asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 are being sent to dedicated isolation centres rather than hospitals, and are monitored for shorter periods than previously required. But some researchers are divided about whether the virus will spread out of control before the government has time to prepare.

via www.nature.com