Table of Contents
China has ended quarantine requirements for people traveling into the country. The country isolated itself from the rest of the world for almost three years.
Mainland China also opened its border with Hong Kong and ended the country’s zero-COVID policy. The rule change has happened even though COVID-19 is now spreading quickly in the country.
The zero-COVID policy had a big impact on China’s economy, the second largest in the world. The policy also angered many people who started to protest last year.
Since January 8, travelers to China no longer have to quarantine when they arrive in the country.
After the government announced the rule changes last month, Chinese people rushed to plan trips abroad. However, more than a dozen countries that expect an increase of visitors have decided to require COVID-19 tests for travelers from China because of the large number of infected people.
Some people expect the COVID situation in China to get worse because of the Lunar New Year holiday this month. “Chun yun” is a 40-day travel period for the Lunar New Year. It’s the first Lunar New Year in China with no travel restrictions since 2020.
China’s ministry of transport expects more than 2 billion people to travel within the country during this period.
Vocabulary
- Quarantine – to stay away from others for a period of time because you have a disease, or may have one, in order to prevent the spread of the disease
- Requirement – Something that is needed or mandatory
- Isolate – To separate from others; to stay away from a main group or location
- Mainland – the main part of a country or continent, not including the islands around it
- Border – the line that separates two countries; the edge or outside part of an area
- Zero-COVID policy – a plan to stop or greatly reduce the spread of a virus. It aims to have no new cases of the virus.
- Spread – to open out; to extend over an area; to move apart to cover a bigger area
- Impact – influence; effect; consequence;
- Economy – the system according to which the money, industry, and trade of a country or region are organized; the supply of money, production of goods and purchase of goods
- Policy – a set of ideas or plans that is used for making decisions; guidelines; code
- Protest – an event where people come together to show strong disapproval/disagreement about something; demonstration; rally
- No longer – in the past but not now; stopped; not anymore
- Announce – share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report
- Rush – To move quickly; to act or do urgently
- Abroad – outside of the country; another country
- Dozen – twelve; twelve pieces
- Expect – to think something will happen; forecast; predict; suppose
- Infected – containing bacteria or virus that can cause disease; to be sick with a disease
- Period – a length of time; or portion of time
- Restriction – an official rule that limits what you can do; regulation; limitation
- Ministry – a department of a government (education ministry, health ministry, foreign ministry, etc.)
- Billion – 1,000,000,000 = one-billion
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- How do you think China’s zero-COVID policy has impacted the country’s economy?
- Why do you think China decide to end its quarantine requirements for travelers, and what impact do you think this will have on the spread of COVID-19 in the country?
- How have other countries responded to China’s rule changes and increased travel? Considering the COVID-19 situation in China, do you agree or disagree with the responses?
Original Story
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