China’s Zero-Covid Strategy Draws Controversy : China is no stranger to making bold moves and this time is no different. The Chinese government’s “zero-COVID” strategy has many citizens up in arms. Over the weekend, protests broke out in both Beijing and Shanghai with protesters expressing their disagreement with the lockdowns created by the strategy. As of Monday morning, security presence had increased drastically in both cities,
leaving some speculating that the protests may have been quelled for now.
The zero-COVID policy aims to keep all new cases of Covid-19 at zero within city limits and reduce
the spread of the virus through a combination of testing, contact tracing, mask wearing and strict
lockdowns on areas where cases are detected.
While these measures may be effective in curbing the spread, they have also caused considerable disruption to everyday life as well as economic losses due to business closures. This has led to an increase in public dissatisfaction which was evident during the weekend’s protests.
In response to these protests, some universities such as Tsinghua University have made plans for students to begin their winter break early in order to reduce further gatherings from taking place. On top of that, there has been an increase in security presence throughout Beijing and Shanghai on Monday morning which could be interpreted as a sign that dissent is not being tolerated by authorities. It remains unclear if similar protests will occur again or if this will be the end of it for now.
It’s clear that China’s zero-COVID policy has created controversy among its citizens who feel like they
are bearing too much of the burden from its implementation. Protests broke out over the weekend
but it seems like authorities have successfully quelled them with increased security presence and
other measures such as sending students home early for winter break. Right now it remains unclear
if more protests will take place or if this will be the end of it for now but one thing is certain – China’s
handling of Covid-19 continues to draw criticism from around world.
A protest in Shanghai sparked a debate over how to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. Videos
emerged showing a policeman repeatedly hitting a female protester inside a bus where others had
been detained. This incident was one of many that have come as fears of more lockdowns and
harsher restrictions drive the protests across China. But why are people so scared of more
lockdowns? Lt’s take a closer look.
The protests were sparked by the death of at least 10 people last week in an apartment fire in
Urumqi in western China. Many blamed the slow response on lockdown measures. This has led to
widespread fear that if more lockdowns are implemented, similar incidents could occur with even
greater frequency, leading to more deaths and destruction. It is this fear that has driven people to
take to the streets in protest against what they see as unnecessary and excessive restrictions on
their lives.
While it’s understandable why people would be concerned about further lockdowns, the reality is
that these restrictions are necessary for keeping communities safe during a pandemic like COVID-19.
As difficult as it may be, it’s important to remember that safety should be our top priority right now,
and following stay-at-home orders is part of that safety plan. We must also remember that those
stay-at-home orders will eventually end, allowing us all to return to some semblance of normalcy
sooner rather than later.
As we continue through this pandemic together, it’s important to remember why we're taking these
steps. The protesters who took to the streets last week were clearly voicing their frustration with
feeling powerless in this situation–and while it can feel like governments aren’t listening or don’t
care about what everyday citizens want–they do care and they are listening. By understanding why
these protests occurred and recognizing the importance of staying home during this time, we can all
work together towards overcoming this virus once and for all.
