(Yicai Global) Dec. 27 -- China has downgraded the coronavirus management level to Class B infectious disease, leading to the cancellation of quarantine requirements for international arrivals.

From Jan. 8, Covid-19's official name 'novel coronavirus pneumonia' will be renamed 'novel coronavirus infection,' according to a statement released late yesterday by the National Health Commission. The virus will be demoted by one level from Class A infectious disease, and the 'five plus three' quarantine will be lifted.

China will use Class B measures against Class-B coronavirus, while before, it was using Class A measures against the Class B virus. The country has three classes of infectious diseases, Class A, B, and C, based on the spread speed, damage level, and supervision, monitoring, and administration measures needed to control the spread of the disease.

China classifies Covid-19 as 'Class B infectious disease Class A management' as it didn't know much about its initial stage, said Liang Wannian, head of the expert team under the NHC's leading group on Covid-19 response. Lowering the management level doesn't mean shaking off all responsibility, he added, noting that it aims to prevent and control Covid-19 in a more scientific and targeted manner and use resources more effectively to balance epidemic control and prevention and socioeconomic development.

Coronavirus is bound to exist for a long time in nature, with a considerable decline in pathogenicity from the early stage, as the diseases caused by it will gradually evolve into common respiratory infectious diseases, the NHC noted. Omicron has become the dominant strain worldwide. Despite the massive number of infections, over 90 percent of the cases are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.

The Covid-19 vaccination rate in the elderly should be increased, the NHC noted, adding that the preparation for drugs and test reagents should also be improved. Moreover, China should hike the spending on medical resources, adjust quarantine, lockdown areas, epidemic control, and other preventive measures for the treatment and prevention of the virus, the NHC said.

Some 3.4 billion Covid-19 doses have been administered so far in China, with over 90 percent of the population above three years old fully vaccinated. Specific antiviral drugs to enhance the ability of medical personnel to prevent and treat Covid are in development.

Editor: Futura Costaglione