The vast majority of China’s population may eventually contract COVID-19, a senior health-policy adviser warned, as Beijing makes concerted steps toward dismantling its zero-tolerance approach to the virus and living with higher case levels.

About 80 to 90% of the Chinese population may eventually be infected with the virus, according to the latest estimate by Feng Zijian, a former deputy chief at China’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"It’s going to be inevitable for most of us to get infected once, regardless of how the COVID-fighting measures are adjusted,” Feng said Tuesday at an online meeting held by the Tsinghua University in Beijing.