China declared this Friday (29) that it will go ahead with the “zero covid” strategy, despite the growing frustration of Shanghai residents, confined since the beginning of April and who are protesting against the government’s health policy with pots of pans in their windows.
The country faces the most serious outbreak of the epidemic since the beginning of 2020. In the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health recorded more than 15,500 new cases of covid-19.
In Shanghai, a metropolis of 25 million people in the eastern region of the country, authorities announced on Friday 52 deaths and said the victims were not vaccinated.
The “covid zero” strategy stipulates the confinement of neighborhoods or cities after the detection of covid cases, a quarantine for people who test positive, including asymptomatic ones, and large-scale testing.
“It is an effective weapon to prevent and control the epidemic in China,” said Vice Health Minister Li Bin.
“Our country is very populous, with regional imbalances in terms of development and a lack of medical resources. If we relax and allow the virus to spread, many people will be infected,” she added.
The “covid zero” strategy has made it possible to limit the number of deaths from coronavirus in the country, which is officially below 5,000.
But the long confinements weigh on the economy and the mood of the population, in a country of 1.4 billion inhabitants.
– Logistical challenge and pots –
In Shanghai, the worst-affected city, residents complain that they do not have access to fresh vegetables or meat in sufficient quantities.
Videos posted on social media, which were quickly censored, showed residents protesting with pots of pans in their windows and demanding “supplies”.
A Shanghai resident told AFP, on condition of anonymity for fear of possible reprisals, that she had seen the footage online. After hearing the noise, she joined the pot.
“I’ve seen many videos like this one, uploaded by people who live in different neighborhoods,” he said.
Censorship of images feeds the population’s discontent.
But the confinement also represents a huge logistical challenge, bringing products to 25 million people, despite the lack of delivery men.
Another problem pointed out by Liang Wannian, director of the health ministry’s team of experts against covid, is the insufficient rate of vaccination of the elderly in China.
The inflexible policy will also affect the tourism sector during the May 1 recess, which starts on Saturday and lasts for five days. The Transport Ministry predicts a 62% drop in trips compared to 2021.
For the president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, Joerg Wuttke, the government is guided only by the policy of “zero covid, without concern for the economy in the short term”.
Wuttke said the health policy would continue until the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China, at the end of 2022, when President Xi Jinping is expected to win a third term at the head of the regime.
“You cannot change the discourse (about covid) so close to the goal”, he opines.
know more
+ New Montana: 3rd generation Chevrolet pickup arrives in 2023
+ Omicron: Unexpected symptom of infection in children worries medical teams
+ Mercadão de SP vendors threaten customers with fruit blow
+ Video: Mother is attacked on social media for wearing tight clothes to take her son to school
+ Horoscope: check today’s forecast for your sign
+ What is known about fluorone?
+ Trick to squeeze lemons becomes a craze on social media
+ ‘Ichthyosaur-monster’ is discovered in Colombia
+ One twin became vegan, the other ate meat. Check the result
+ See which were the most stolen cars in SP in 2021
+ Expedition identifies giant squid responsible for ship sinking in 2011
+ US Agency warns: never wash raw chicken meat
#China #maintains #covid #strategy #Shanghai #residents #frustration