Most Chinese people have acquired COVID-19 immunity following Omicron-fueled outbreaks and mass vaccination campaigns, and people are safe in the short term, an epidemiologist said in an interview with People's Daily.

Zeng Guang made the remarks in response to the World Health Organization's decision to continue to regard the spread of COVID-19 as a global emergency.

Zeng, former chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said between 80 and 90 percent of China's population has obtained natural immunity, and the figure, coupled with the 90 percent inoculation rate, means China has established basic herd immunity.

"In the short term, the situation is safe, and the thunderstorm has passed," he said while adding that many uncertainties remain in the long run.

Zeng explained that China still faces challenges from the importation of Omicron variants such as XBB and BQ 1 and their subvariants, to the detriment of the nation's unvaccinated elderly population.

He said China's COVID-19 response policies will take into consideration not only virus infections and its associated death rate, but also the needs for economic development, social stability and global exchanges.