Mass Covid Testing, Already a Familiar Ritual, Becomes China’s New Normal

China is doubling down on mass testing as a key weapon against Covid-19 even as costs mount and the highly infectious Omicron variant exposes challenges with the strategy. Mass testing has become a part of daily life across the country. Similar to how many people in the West have had to show a vaccine pass to dine out, enter the office or get on a plane, in China, the thing not to leave home without is a negative Covid test. In many cities, a test taken within the past 48 or 72 hours is required for any facet of public life, such as grocery shopping or taking public transportation. The government is setting up thousands of stationary PCR-testing stations across the country as part of an official campaign to institutionalize testing. In some cities, the goal is to have one within a 15-minute walking distance of any resident.