Since Covid-19 first emerged in Wuhan province in late 2019, China has pursued an aggressive containment policy. In October, 28 cities across the country were in some form of lockdown, affecting 207 million people.
By comparison, much of the world had lifted lockdowns, international travel resumed, and life was returning to normal. But Beijing maintained that its zero-Covid policy was the most effective tool.
People across China started to protest – calling on authorities to lift the restrictions.
Then the infections spread. In the first 20 days of December 2022, China may have had 250 million Covid infections alone – according to a leaked memo from top health officials. Reports from hospitals show overwhelmed wards, but officials in Beijing insist that everything is under control
In this week’s Beyond the Headlines, host James Haines-Young looks at how many cases there are in China, how the numbers exploded so fast and what this means for the rest of the world.
People stand outside a funeral home in Shanghai, as cases of Covid-19 surge in China. Reuters
Relatives burn paper offerings for a relative who died, at the Gaobeidian Funeral Home in northern China's Hebei province. AP
A worker disinfects a bed in the emergency department of a hospital in Baigou, Hebei province. AP
Cities across the country have struggled to cope as the surge in cases has emptied pharmacy shelves, filled hospital wards and appeared to cause backlogs at crematoriums and funeral homes. AP
It comes after China dismantled key pillars of its zero-Covid strategy. AP
Authorities have lifted snap lockdowns, lengthy quarantines and travel curbs in a reversal of the country's hallmark containment strategy. Reuters
Relatives attend to a patient. AP
People wait outside a fever clinic at a hospital in Shanghai. Reuters
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
