China Restricts 1,120 Covid Critics' Social Media Accounts

BEIJING: As China attempts to further open up after almost three years, the Associated Press reported that more than 1,000 critics of the government's Covid policy had their social media accounts blocked or cancelled. According to the report, China's well-known Sina Weibo social media network reported that 1,120 accounts had been temporarily or permanently banned after it addressed 12,854 breaches.

China suddenly dropped its strict "zero-Covid" policy, which involved rigorous lockdowns, quarantine procedures, and mass testing. China experienced an increase in infections after the rule change, straining its medical infrastructure to the breaking point.

In a statement, Sina Weibo stated that the organisation "will continue to expand the investigation and cleanup of all types of unlawful content, and establish a harmonious and welcoming community environment for the majority of users." This occurs as China prepares to abolish the requirement for foreign visitors to stay in quarantines. Beijing may also decide to waive the requirement that kids attending city schools must pass the Covid test in order to enroll.

While many nations demand a negative test result for visitors from China within 48 hours of departure, the World Health Organization has voiced worry about the absence of data from China.

As a result of the government adopting a much more restrictive definition for deaths caused by the virus, there are worries that the numbers are underreported. China's total confirmed death toll from Covid has now reached 17,500. On Friday, China recorded 854 brand-new serious cases.

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