BEIJING — Under China's newly-updated COVID-19 control protocol, close contacts and inbound travelers will be under medical observation in isolation at designated sites for seven days plus three days of in-home health monitoring.

This is an obvious length cut compared with 14 days of medical observation in isolation at designated sites plus seven days of health monitoring at home stipulated by the previous edition of the protocol.

Also according to the ninth edition of the protocol released on June 28, individuals deemed to have had close contact with COVID-19 close contacts will face seven days of medical observation under home quarantine, instead of seven days of medical observation in isolation at designated sites.

Under the new protocol, China will increase the frequency of nucleic acid tests for individuals with direct contact with inbound travelers, goods and environments to one time a day.