Ómicron reaches important Chinese political and economic centers

The omicron variant first reached China’s political, financial and technological hubs, putting pressure on the country’s response to the more transmissible variant as it waits for the Winter Olympics to begin in less than three weeks.

China has detected locally transmitted omicron infections in Beijing, the capital; Shanghai, the financial center; and Guangdong, where the technology hub of southern Shenzhen is located; which together represent a fifth of the country’s gross domestic product. The highly contagious variant has been detected in one in five provinces, while 14 of them have reported imported cases.

While still very small in number, the outbreaks are causing consternation due to their timing, as well as their location. The Lunar New Year holiday, an event marked by mass travel as millions return home from urban centers to attend large family gatherings, begins on February 1. The start of the Beijing Winter Olympics is scheduled for February 4.

The JJ.OO. of Beijing will not sell tickets to the general public, but will allow the presence of spectators “organized”, the organizing committee said on Monday night. The decision to eliminate ticket sales to the public was made to ensure the health and safety of Olympic Games-related personnel and the public amid a grim and complicated virus control situation, it said.

lasting impact

The spread of omicron comes on top of an outbreak of the delta variant of COVID-19 that has been sweeping through the world’s most populous country for more than a month. On Sunday, at least 166 domestic cases were found in China, according to the National Health Commission. The latest epicenter, seen in the northern city of Tianjin, reported a record 80 new cases daily.

Previous outbreaks have taken place in economically less important areas such as the northwestern city of Xi’an and the central province of Henan. The simultaneous rise of omicrons in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong is creating further obstacles for government authorities as aggressive efforts to contain the virus, including lockdown measures, are less feasible in politically and economically crucial areas.

Local governments are increasing specific measures as part of the “zero COVID” approach. Existing tests can detect omicron, providing reassurance about its ability to help contain outbreaks, officials said at a health commission briefing over the weekend.

One of China’s key strategies is to carry out mass testing of the entire population of cities several times to eradicate undetected spread.

Policies already in place have undermined private consumption, curbing tourism and restaurant spending in the past two years. Rising omicron cases are likely to further restrict travel ahead of the Lunar New Year as many cities are asking people not to travel.