Chinese State Media Tries To Reassure Public Over COVID

Thousands of Chinese took to the streets to mark the New Year as authorities and state media sought to reassure the public that the COVID-19 outbreak sweeping across the country was under control and nearing its peak, Martin Quin Pollard, Xiaoyu Yin, and Tingshu Wang reported for Reuters.

Photo Insert: The CGTN headquarters

Though many people in major cities have continued to isolate as the virus spreads through the population, New Year revelries appeared to be mostly unaffected as people celebrated the end of 2022 and the turn into 2023.

In Wuhan, where the coronavirus was first identified at the end of 2019, residents said anxieties about the impact of easing strict zero-COVID restrictions to live with the disease had now abated - at least for the young and healthy.

China's abrupt U-turn on COVID controls - as well as the accuracy of its case and mortality data - have come under increasing scrutiny both at home and overseas.

The surge in cases has raised fresh worries about the health of the economy and in his first public comments since the change in policy, President Xi Jinping called in a New Year's address for more effort and unity as China enters a "new phase."

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