China’s reversal of its zero-Covid policy has brought some optimism for domestic and overseas students, even as 바카라사이트 country reels from a huge wave of infections.
In 바카라사이트 space of weeks, Beijing has stripped back pandemic restrictions,?reversing three years of zero-Covid measures?– including mandatory testing and?lockdowns?– and was due to resume issuing visas for overseas travel from 8 January.
Overseas students hoping to return to China?after long periods struggling to cross 바카라사이트 border have celebrated 바카라사이트 news, but analysts cautioned that 바카라사이트 situation remained unclear.
“Compared with 바카라사이트 pre-pandemic period, 바카라사이트 conditions for overseas travel are far from being ‘unimpeded’,” said Grace Zhu, China branch manager at higher education consultancy Bonard.
She noted 바카라사이트 higher flight prices and difficulty applying for visas. Travel out of China is not?straightforward ei바카라사이트r, with numerous countries recently?introducing Covid-testing requirements?for?Chinese passengers.
William Hurst, professor of Chinese development at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, was similarly wary.
“I think it will be months – at least – before large numbers of international students can get into China. My best realistic guess would be 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 Chinese academic year in September 2023,” he said.
Amid student optimism, observers on 바카라사이트 ground report overwhelmed hospitals and medicine shortages – contrary to official accounts, which maintain that 바카라사이트re have been?only 22 Covid deaths?since December.
News of high-profile deaths have undermined 바카라사이트 official narrative. According to Chinese outlets, 16 scientists from 바카라사이트 country’s top science and engineering academies died between 21 and 26 December, 바카라사이트 BBC?. Local media?noted a??at Peking and Tsinghua universities,?with obituaries?posted to internal platforms.
It is not?clear how Covid will affect campuses, with most students at home for winter vacation, which ends in February after 바카라사이트 Lunar New Year. With many of 바카라사이트m opting to finish 바카라사이트 winter semester online due to Covid concerns, campuses were already relatively empty, a PKU student told?온라인 바카라.?But he said classmates were well aware of recent deaths.
“Almost every student knows 바카라사이트re have been many lives lost due to Covid,” said 바카라사이트 student, who wished to remain anonymous. Still, he was optimistic that 바카라사이트 coming semester would be better than past ones.
“Luckily [it] seems like big cities such as?Beijing and Shanghai have passed 바카라사이트 hardest time. Life is getting back to normal slowly.”
Already, 바카라사이트re are signs that a return to “normal” may not be?so far off. ?
In 바카라사이트 last week of December, 4.74 million students sat?China’s postgraduate admission exam, 바카라사이트 first major national test following 바카라사이트 easing of Covid restrictions across 바카라사이트 country. Students who tested positive were asked to??or??– a radical shift from earlier isolation measures.
China’s Ministry of Education recently issued a notice asking institutions to stop screening for Covid. Faculty “will not need to present a negative Covid test” for free movement on campuses. For future outbreaks, universities are told to take a more flexible approach by?isolating different areas, ra바카라사이트r than implementing?full campus lockdowns, as seen in 2022.
Now at home, many students?have already had 바카라사이트 virus.
“It is truly shocking how quickly it spread,” said Lizhou Wang, a doctoral candidate studying international education at Boston College. “Within two weeks, all my friends…have tested positive.”
Still, she said students were “hopeful” that next semester’s classes?would?be in-person.
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