BEIJING: China’s health authority said on Tuesday (Jul 12) that local governments no longer need to test some imported products for the coronavirus, within a move aimed at decreasing the cost of its strict COVID-19 prevention procedures.
China began testing the packaging of chilled and frozen food imports for the malware in June 2020, after a cluster of infections among workers at a wholesale market in Beijing.
Six months later, Beijing also advised assessment on ambient items too, even as researchers said the risk of coronavirus infection through contact with contaminated surfaces has been low.
Local governments no longer need to test ambient foods or other items for the virus, said the National Wellness Commission on the website, but it had not been clear if the products would still be susceptible to checks at customs.
Chilled and frozen foods will still be tested, however , but exporters will not face import suspensions whenever their goods test positive at customs checks, added the NHC.
The steps come among growing efforts to back up China’s flagging economic climate.
China has linked previous COVID-19 outbreaks among dock workers with the detection of the virus on frozen food. Nevertheless intensive scrutiny plus testing and disinfection of imported produce has added significant cost and damaged trade.
Herpes continues to be detected on hundreds of chilled and frosty food shipments since 2020, with major suppliers of meat, sea food and other products hanging for weeks.
Some local governments have gone past national rules, with the city of Lhasa, funds of Tibet, banning imported frozen food items outright in an effort to reduce risk of the trojan.