(Yicai Global) Dec. 20 -- To minimize the impact of the pandemic on people’s lives and work, many places in China, including the megacity of Chongqing and the provinces of Anhui and Zhejiang, are permitting people with mild or no symptoms of the coronavirus to work so long as they take steps to protect others.

People with asymptomatic or mild infections can go to work on the premise of taking precautions to safeguard others based on their own health needs and job requirements, both Zhejiang and Chongqing announced on Dec. 18. The city of Wuhu in Anhui issued a similar notice yesterday.

After an increasing number of residents and healthcare workers came down with the virus in the provinces of Henan, Yunnan, and Hubei, local hospitals encouraged those who are able to keep working to do so. 

Regional governments are prioritizing productivity. Wuhu and Chongqing said they have shifted their focus from preventing infections to preventing serious illnesses and promoting economic development. Still, Zhejiang said it still seeks to avoid Covid-19 waves at individual firms within a certain time period to minimize the impact.

The policy shift means that workers do not need to prove they have recovered after getting sick, which should help to allay public concerns about access to coronavirus test kits. Moreover, local authorities are doing what they can to help suppliers boost test kit production.

Editor: Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi