The miscarriage of a pregnant Chinese lady who was denied medical treatment due to the COVID-19 lockdown has revived controversy about China’s zero-tolerance policy.
The Chinese government is locking up COVID-19 suspects in metal cages in an attempt to eliminate the virus, ignoring warnings that the Omicron strain would render a Zero-COVID approach unfeasible.
China, where the coronavirus was found in 2019, is one of the last countries to adhere to “Zero COVID,” placing millions of people in quarantine even as it prepares to host the Winter Olympics next month.
How Does China Plan To Implement “Zero COVID”?
The Dynamic Zero Approach
China has a “Dynamic Zero” approach for controlling outbreaks: rigorous lockdowns and quick mass testing. People in China, unlike in other countries, are prevented from leaving their buildings or compelled to stay in hotel rooms if they are considered to have high-risk connections.
However, the technique, while supposedly intended to save lives, is unconcerned with the toll it takes on the people of the country.
In late December, almost 13 million citizens in the Chinese metropolis of Xi’an were placed under house confinement when a rigorous lockdown was imposed in response to a COVID flare-up. More than 2,000 individuals have been infected in Xi’an, making it China’s worst breakout since the first in Wuhan.
Quarantine Camps In Metal Boxes
Social media videos show individuals yelling, crying, being kicked, dragged, and forced to quarantine in metal box dwellings that have an uncanny similarity to what may have been in long-forgotten concentration camps.
Also Read: Pune’s ‘COVID Free Village’ Contest Meant To Limit Omicron, Winner Will Get Rs. 50 Lac
Pregnant women, children, and the elderly are held in these “Quarantine Camps” for up to two weeks in cramped cells with only a wooden bed and a toilet. Those who have lived in these facilities have characterized them as freezing boxes with minimal access to food.
Communities that have been sealed off have complained about the lack of food, medical services, and supplies. The repeated closures of factories and businesses are adding to the economic depression.
The Cost Of “Zero COVID” Policy
Yes, “Zero Covid” has a cost for its common people to pay. Border districts, particularly near Myanmar, have been subjected to near-constant lockdowns, resulting in a commercial exodus. Locked-down communities have complained about a lack of food, supplies, and medical care.
Meanwhile, due to onerous travel procedures and limitations, migrant workers have been separated from their families for months. Heavy-handed enforcement has provoked an outcry in the past, like when health workers beat a corgi to death after the owners were quarantined.
Despite the fact that China is the only major economy expected to expand in 2020, manufacturing and business closures are adding to the country’s decline.
In a country ruled by a one-party dictatorship, the only alternative is to submit or face the consequences. Those who are negligent in following the preventative measures, exhibit sympathy, or dare to criticize the government’s policies are punished.
Disclaimer: This article is fact-checked
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Economic Times; India Today; Wio News +More
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This post is tagged under: COVID; China; Wuhan; Zero CCOVID Strategy; Corona Virus; Pandemic; lockdown; China’s Covid Policy; COVID-19; Dictatorship; The Republic of China; Metal Boxes; Concentration Camps; COVID Camps; Isolation; Torture; China
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