HONG KONG – Coronavirus has become widespread around the world, and many countries have decided to combine living with or ignoring its presence. But China, where it first appeared at the end of 2019, still intends to eradicate the virus, conducting extended lockdowns and testing wherever new cases arise.
The country’s “zero-Covid” policy, and the weight it imposes on the economy, tourism and daily life, has fueled continuing debates over whether it is still the best way forward. to manage the risks posed by the pandemic. But Xi Jinping, China’s leader, has stamped much of his political credentials on this policy and seems intent on sticking with it.
Here’s how China handles the coronavirus, the reasoning behind its methods, and the future of policy.
What is ‘Zero Covid’?
China’s policy of “non-communist momentum” was born in an effort to control the initial outbreak in the city of Wuhan. People with the virus are isolated or sent to the hospital, depending on the severity of their case. Anyone considered to be in close contact, which can be defined very broadly, is also isolated.
When the outbreak is deemed severe enough, entire cities can be shut down, as Shanghai did for nearly two months this spring. The southwestern city of Chengdu, with a population of 21 million, is currently under lockdown and many others across the country are under some form of restriction.
Travel into China is still very limited, despite the quarantine period for those coming from abroad halved to seven days followed by a three-day home quarantine. The use of a contact tracing app is required to enter public places. It issues a health code in the style of a traffic light, so crossing the street with an infected person or going to an area considered high risk could cause someone’s health code to change from “green” or safe. to “yellow”, potentially needing to isolate and expand testing. In some places, regular Covid testing is required, regardless of potential exposure.
How is policy promoted in China?
China’s Covid control efforts are a signature policy of Mr. Xi at a politically important juncture. Next month, he is expected to retain his supreme position at the Communist Party congress held every five years, surpassing the established two-term general secretary term.
Zero Covid is credited with combating failures to control the virus in the West, especially the United States, where more than a million people have died from the outbreak. China has reported only 5,226 deaths among its 1.4 billion population.
“Each country’s leadership and institutional supremacy will be judged by its response to the pandemic,” Xi said. said in a speech last year. “Time and trend are both on our side, that is the source of our determination and strength, and also why we are determined and confident.”
Why are such strict measures necessary?
Beyond the political importance of zero Covid to China’s leadership, practical considerations have made it difficult to pull back on coronavirus control measures. China has stopped importing vaccines, including the most effective foreign-made mRNA vaccine, while the country develops its own. People do not have natural immunity, because the virus spreads much less than in other countries.
China also has difficulty in vaccinating its elderly. It’s been a particular problem this year in Hong Kong, which had largely managed to contain the coronavirus until thousands were killed by the Omicron surge that began in February. Many of those who died were older residents who had not been vaccinated because of undue worry about side effects.
Does the public support 0 Covid?
China’s efforts to control the virus have been a great hardship for millions and a huge inconvenience for millions more. People who are locked out often complain of struggling to get food or other necessities. In the southern Chinese city of Guiyang, where many areas were locked down this week, the local government apologized to residents of one county, acknowledging that they had not been provided with enough supplies.
Some cases of over-locking are even more serious, including cases where people were turned away by hospitals for fear they might get infected, or people were barred from leaving their buildings during a battle. earthquake in Sichuan province this week.
However, many Chinese have expressed support or at least concur with the control measures. State media outlets highlight the death and suffering caused by Covid in the United States and other countries, and describe strict prevention policies as the only alternative to disaster. In addition, the harsh censorship and threat of retribution for interrogation policies have softened any dissenting voices.
What is the future of Zero Covid?
Earlier this year, Chinese officials signaled that they wanted to ease the burdensome approach to fighting the virus, especially as the economic impacts became increasingly apparent and the Omicron variant proved less lethal. people than the previous variants. But proposals for a new approach ended with an outbreak in Shanghai in the spring. Locking doors is becoming more and more popular nowadays.
Investment bank Nomura estimates about 291 million people are currently affected by lockdowns or other controls, investment bank Nomura estimated this week, up from 161 million last week. “The picture is not pretty as China continues to battle the widest wave of Covid infections to date,” said Nomura analysts.
