What is China's Zero COVID policy?
For the rest of the world, COVID-19 pandemic may be coming to an end. But for China, the battle is ongoing. Despite the stringent COVID measures - the 'dynamic zero-COVID' policy - the numbers of daily cases hit an all-time high.
On Wednesday, the national health commission reported 31,444 new infection cases, the highest daily number since the coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan.
The sudden spike came only days after China announced some relaxations in its zero-Covid policy. The quarantine period was reduced to five days, and only close contacts of an infected person were put in quarantine. Furthermore, given that China reported the first COVID deaths in six months last week, authorities have imposed a new set of lockdowns and strict restrictions, which have been followed by rare public protests.
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China's Zero COVID policy set to enter its third year
China's Zero COVID policy or the dynamic zero-COVID policy aims to declare a 'war of annihilation' against the SARs-CoV-2 virus. It involves stringent restrictions consisting of strict and complete lockdowns, along with stern quarantine rules and isolation.
Initially, countries around the world took to this method of curbing the spread of the virus. But over time, while China still adheres to its iron-fisted policy, the rest of the world has moved on and may be nearing an end of the pandemic.
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A failure or a success?
It would be wrong to claim that China's stringent COVID policy has not worked at all. Our World in Data has reported that since the start of the pandemic in 2020, only 1.38 million people in China have been found to be infected. At a time when the world was battling serious COVID-19 complications, the US reported a similar number of cases in just one day.
However, given the recent surge, Omicron spike and the unrest in the country, the strict zero COVID policy seems to be struggling. Reports suggest that everyone infected, symptomatic or asymptomatic, were subject to quarantine and left in long isolation.
Does the recent Omicron outbreak question the 'dynamic zero COVID'?
While a success initially, the COVID lockdown policy has prevented a large population of people in China from getting infected and therefore, it is believed they have no widespread immunity. As a result, a highly contagious variant like the Omicron manages to break through and spread rapidly. Although the Omicron is said to be mild, causing symptoms like sore throat, runny nose, fatigue, it can still lead to deaths among the elderly population.
Xinjiang fire: 10 dead
Ten people died in a fire at a residential building in Urumqi on Thursday night, following which people have taken to the streets, protesting against the COVID restrictions.
Reports said that at about 19:49 on November 24, a fire broke out in a high-rise residential building in Jixiangyuan Community, Tianshan District, Urumqi City, Xinjiang.
From when the fire began to when it was extinguished, it lasted for about 2 hours and 46 minutes and claimed the lives of ten people including three children.
Why have people taken to the streets?
China's Zero COVID policy is all prepared to enter its third year. It has meant long isolation periods and strict lockdown for people. Shanghai, one of the biggest cities in China, with a population of over 25 million, were subject to stern COVID measures and therefore suffered massive shortages in food supplies.
The 'fight for the future' in-person demonstration, while rare, has united Chinese people to speak up against the strict COVID policies. "I'm not scared because we're not doing anything wrong, we're not breaking any laws," one of the protestors told AFP.
People in Urumqi have been seen confronting officials and shouting slogans like "end the Covid lockdown".