China will downgrade its management of COVID-19 from Class A to Class B on Jan 8

China will downgrade its management of COVID-19 from Class A to Class B on Jan 8, a move made possible by the reduced virulence of Omicron, expanded vaccinations and increased treatment and emergency response tools, officials and experts said on Tuesday.

The downgrade, a major change to China's antivirus strategy, means inbound travelers will no longer have to undergo quarantine or take a nucleic acid test upon arrival in the country, the State Council said in a document released on Monday.