China remains relentless in its ‘zero COVID’ policy one month before the Winter Olympics

China ruthlessly maintains its zero-tolerance policy against COVID-19, with restrictions on mobility and confinements to tackle active outbreaks in the country one month after the Winter Games begin in Beijing.

The situation remains dramatic in the city of Xian, in the center of the country, where its 13 million residents have been confined without being able to leave their homes since December 23.

The city’s airport has canceled all domestic and international flights until further notice while the authorities demand “drastic measures” to stop an outbreak that, despite everything, has only left 1,856 infections since the beginning of last month.

This Thursday, 63 new infections were recorded in Xian compared to 35 on Wednesday, although 95 were reported on Tuesday and 90 on Monday.

According to the latest report issued by the Chinese health authorities, there are 3,282 active cases across the country, 30 of them serious.

So far 4,636 people have died from COVID-19 in China, a figure that has remained unchanged since January 26 of last year.

The objective of the confinement of Xian – the most extensive experienced in China after the tax in Wuhan in January 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic – is, according to local officials, to reset the locker of new cases so that it can be returned to The normality.

Criticism of the management and dismissals

The authorities continue to carry out massive rounds of tests to trace the infections associated with the delta variant of the coronavirus – the omicron has only been found in cases from abroad – and they assure that they are already “putting under control” community transmission.

However, the chaotic management of the confinement has provoked criticism from some residents through social networks, either due to the lack of supplies or the confusion generated after the mobile phone application that certifies that it had tested negative in the tests fell. nucleic acid levels or not having been in close contact with confirmed positives.

The case of an eight-month pregnant woman who lost her baby after being denied admission to a hospital for not presenting an updated test, or that of a person beaten for violating confinement to buy food, has also caused a stir.

The nationalist newspaper Global Times declares today that there were indeed “moments of chaos” and “difficulties” in guaranteeing food for the entire population, but that responsibilities have already been “purged” with the dismissal of officials who are now accused of act negligently.

“It is inevitable that a confinement of these characteristics creates problems, but the local authorities are taking into account the complaints to improve the situation,” says the newspaper.

And those who criticize the viability or necessity of the draconian measures “are wrong,” according to the newspaper, which highlights that many residents participate as volunteers to organize tests or distribute food.

Other residents assured these days that they have had to push for the delivery men to deliver food to them or that they have not been treated in hospitals or sent ambulances.

Outbreaks in three regions

Apart from Xi’an, two other Chinese regions have presented positive cases this week, with 64 infections recorded today in Henan, in the center of the country, and 5 in Zhejiang, in the east.

Transport restrictions and selective lockdowns have been enacted in some Henan cities, as has the port city of Ningbo, a major logistics hub for global supply chains.

And it is that despite having already administered 2,823 million doses of its vaccines against COVID-19, China resists living with the virus, a strategy that also involves imposing strict entry controls into the country with quarantines of up to three weeks and numerous analytics of various kinds.

“The West has to understand and accept China’s approach to contain the virus. Our policies are a different path to global economic recovery, “Global Times added on Thursday.

All of this happens less than a month before the Winter Olympics begin in Beijing, a celebration that the government is determined to protect at all costs.

Chinese President Xi Jinping left no room for doubt this Wednesday during an event on the Olympic event: “We have to present to the world a fantastic, extraordinary and exalted Games. We must continue to give great importance to all prevention tasks, they are the greatest challenge we face ”.

In addition, the country will celebrate the arrival of the Chinese New Year on February 1, and local governments are already asking not to travel if it is not “strictly necessary” in order to avoid the massive displacements typical of these dates.

It is estimated that almost 300 million workers in China’s large cities are rural immigrants, who usually return to their villages at this time to spend the holidays with their families, in what is known as the largest internal migration on the planet.