CHINA'S strict "zero Covid" policy with harsh lockdowns is failing in the battle against the Omicron variant.

       The country has the world's strictest strategy with the most recent one being imposed on 13 million residents in the city of Xi’an after 200 cases were recorded.

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       China's strict "zero Covid" policy is not working against Omicron Credit: Reuters 4

       The city of Xi’an has been placed on lockdown Credit: Alamy

       And as the highly transmissible Omicron variant has hit China, the country's homegrown vaccines are proving insufficient against the strain, putting under threat the Beijing Olympics that are set to take place in February, report the Times.

       A string of hugely positive studies show Omicron IS milder than other strains, with the first official UK report revealing the risk of hospitalisation is 50 to 70 per cent lower than with Delta.

       Covid booster jabs protect against Omicron and offer the best chance to get through the pandemic, health officials have repeatedly said.

       The Sun's Jabs Army campaign is helping get the vital extra vaccines in Brits' arms to ward off the need for any new restrictions.

       China's response to the pandemic is aiming to zero cases instead of learning how to live with the virus.

       The country's strategy sees entire buildings or areas sealed even if one case is reported, while those infected are placed under lengthy quarantines.

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       The borders are sealed to prevent any new variants, with mass testing and contact tracing being also in place.

       China, where the first Covid case was reported back in late 2019, claims it has reduced the number of cases to a minimum through its "zero covid" strategy.

       But with the Winter Olympics being a bit more than a month away, government officials will face a great challenge in case of a potential surge in infections as the Omicron variant has been rapidly spreading across the world.

       Tulio de Oliveira, director of the Centre for Epidemic Response & Innovation (CERI) in South Africa warned that the zero covid policy will not work against Omicron.

       He tweeted: "China will have great difficulty with #omicron and zero covid policy.

       "They may need@ to join the rest of the world with mitigation strategies.

       "#China should not punish its public health officials or citizens or foreigns because a more transmissible variant…"

       It comes as cases have been rising with the country reporting its highest daily rise in Covid cases in months.

       A total of 206 cases have been recorded in China today but there have been no deaths.

       155 cases were reported in the city of Xian which has been placed under lockdown.

       Officials announced a disinfection campaign urging residents to shut their windows.

       Locals cannot leave the city without approval from local authorities while mass testing is regularly conducted to identify new cases.

       Chinese officials are facing punishment for failing to prevent control of the virus after the outbreak the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement.

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       Mass testing and contact tracing are in place in a bid to fight the new strain 4

       Tulio de Oliveira has warned China's strategy will not work against Omicron Credit: Twitter

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