Mainland officials are seeking to minimise the possibility of a major new Covid-19 outbreak during this month’s Lunar New Year travel rush, after the end of most pandemic containment measures.

The Transportation Ministry on Friday estimated over two billion trips will happen during the Spring Festival, nearly double the number of last year, and 70 percent of the volume in 2019 before the pandemic began.

The 40-day travel rush will start on January 7 and end on February 15.

Vice Minister Xu Chengguang called on people to reduce trips and gatherings.

“We encourage people make travel plans based on the situation of themselves and family members," he said.

"In particular, the elderly with underlying diseases and the families with pregnant women, infants and children, should try to reduce travel as much as possible to avoid the infectious risk during travel,” Xu added.

The call stopped short of asking citizens to stay home entirely, as the government had since the pandemic began, although some local governments have urged migrant workers not to return home.

Mainland officials have been readying for a virus wave to hit the country's rural interior, as millions of people prepare to travel to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year.

The National Health Commission had admitted that dealing with the expected surge in rural areas would be an "enormous challenge". (Additional reporting by AP)