China will downgrade its COVID-19 insurance reimbursement management level to a Class B infectious disease in line with its management of the disease starting Saturday, a new notice said on Thursday.

China lowered its management of COVID-19 from Class A to Class B on Jan 8, but it also introduced a temporary medical insurance reimbursement policy that would continue to treat COVID-19 as Class A to fully cover medical costs for inpatients and at least 70 percent of the costs for outpatients until Friday.

The new notice issued, by National Healthcare Security Administration and three other departments, said COVID-19 treatments will be managed as Class B starting April 1.

COVID-19 patients who are still struggling to pay for treatments that have been covered by basic insurance plans and those that specifically focus on major diseases can receive financial assistance, the notice added.