#zero covid policy

[o-kurwa]

Due to the backlash from Chinese fans seeing unmasked crowds in Qatar, Chinese TV is now replacing live crowds shots during games and instead cutting to close-ups of players and coaches.

[panicinthestudio]

COVID rapidly spreads in China as government eases strict quarantine rules, December 27, 2022

China is grappling with the rapid spread of COVID-19 after the government began rolling back its zero-COVID restrictions earlier this month. Now, cases are spiraling across towns and cities, hospitals are overburdened, medical staff are outnumbered and crematoriums are running out of space. Judy Woodruff reports.

PBS NewsHour

There is no nuance left in politics or public health policy when there is either an absolute and strict inflexibility of zero COVID or wholesale dismantling of safeguards before the healthcare or support systems are prepared for the waves that have been forcibly suppressed. The political insistence on using their own less effective, non-mRNA vaccines based on the original strains rather than Delta or Omicron, coupled with a low vaccination rate of the vulnerable and elderly is not helping easing the transition at all.

The way they’ve been counting mortality from COVID diverged from nearly every other country since early 2020. A death had to be directly attributable to SARS-CoV-2 eliminating cases of many preexisting or undiagnosed conditions, chronic illnesses, and other high risk factors that may have been exacerbated by the virus which became listed as the direct cause or if they simply tested negative in the few days before dying. The policy as of this week will further limit the count only to deaths caused by pneumonia or respiratory failure after contracting COVID, in addition to dropping much of the remaining inbound quarantines and regular case counts becoming even more inconsistent with lived reality.

It appears the PRC was prepared to stay in suspended animation within an onionskin of self-isolation layers indefinitely, maintaining the appearance of control and adherence to policy that was left to different local officials to execute. Downgrading the classification removes the local, emergency-style powers to lockdown and quarantine which were used capriciously. Residential buildings, offices and commercial areas such as malls, and even theme parks could be suddenly cordoned without warning, causing panic due to the stringency of testing and knock-on effects if a positive case was found rather than fear of having contacted or contracted the virus. Becoming listed as a close contact or a complete stranger’s positive result could mean further quarantining and repeated testing, as well any change in one’s COVID passport status severely restricting mobility for work or education, travel, or even basic necessities. The protests spread because “dynamic zero” was anything but dynamic, refusing to change or amend course in preparation for a transition to an endemic or post-epidemic state. People were simply fed up and the building momentum was becoming a potential danger to a regime that had just renewed its own political mandates.

These things aren’t happening in isolation, China is also changing tact on its travel restrictions domestically and internationally. The Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau have been trying to reopen ports and travel with the Mainland for years now for travel and economic reasons. Both were forced into accepting one-way policies where it was difficult for their citizens to enter China or even between one another, while rules were softened for travelers and politicians entering from and returning to the Mainland for short trips with the reason that the pandemic was less well-contained than within the Mainland.

As news of the highly visible current outbreak within China is continuing to emerge, the Hong Kong SAR is now proudly announcing agreements have been made with the Mainland to drop their travel restrictions posthaste. It’s being reported that many are travelling specifically for mRNA vaccines which are approved in Macau and Hong Kong.

[tomorrowusa]

The spy balloon isn’t hugely significant on its own, but it adds to the sense that Beijing’s competence has been exaggerated.

David Leonhardt at the New York Times.

There’s been a lot of hype regarding China this century. But a number of its actions suggest that its success has been overstated.

China is a totalitarian state. The government tries to micromanage the lives of its citizens. The way it handled the COVID-19 pandemic was an avoidable disaster.

The Chinese government foolishly refused to use mRNA vaccines produced in Europe and North America. Its own homemade vaccines were less effective and required the draconian “zero COVID” policy to keep the virus from spreading.

This article may explain why the Chinese government failed to effectively vaccinate its population when it could easily afford to.

Moderna refused China request to reveal vaccine technology, Financial Times reports

China has had a policy of forcing foreign companies to share their tech secrets as a prerequisite for doing business in China. Western businesses, salivating at the thought of massive profits on the mainland, mostly agreed. China was probably able to gather more tech know-how this way than through industrial espionage and hacking.

So Moderna (and likely BioNTech & Pfizer) wisely refused to hand their intellectual property over to the Chinese authorities. So the only people in China who eventually received the mRNA vaccines were foreign nationals who lived in the country.

As I noted a minute ago, China can easily afford the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines but the government has refused to import them because the companies would not submit to tech extortion.

When China’s zero COVID policy abruptly ended, the longstanding effort to extract intellectual property from the West severely backfired. Many of China’s top scholars, scientists, and intellectuals were among the numerous COVID-19 fatalities. It’s true that they were mostly elderly, but many still had years of productivity ahead of them.

In China’s Covid Fog, Deaths of Scholars Offer a Clue

Those are just the more famous ones. There are probably many additional less well-known scientists who died in recent months.

So the Chinese government is not only less competent than it would like the world to believe but it is also less competent than many anti-Chinese politicians in the West would like to have us believe.

[nepalniceties]

Study shows Covid infected in China reaches 900 million

Study shows Covid infected in China reaches 900 million

A study conducted by Peking University has revealed that around 900 million people in China have been infected with the Coronavirus as of 11 January. As per the report, 64% of the country’s population is estimated to have contracted the virus. Top three provinces with higher infection rate are Gansu province- with 91% of the people reported to be infected, followed by Yunnan (84%) and Qinghai…

[thenerdbossshow]

This is not PS. This is real. Medical staff are hiding in the trash can to do COVID tests in China.

This is ridiculous!

[butchstalinist]

Great video to understand the protests in China & the reality that differs from the western imperialist media narrative ^^^

[don-lichterman]

News Wrap: Russian lawmakers expand restrictions on promoting LGBTQ rights

News Wrap: Russian lawmakers expand restrictions on promoting LGBTQ rights

In our news wrap Thursday, Russian lawmakers approved new restrictions on anything seen as promoting LGBTQ rights, the U.N.’s Human Rights Council condemned Iran’s violent repression of protests as activists say more than 400 people have been killed and thousands arrested, and Ford recalled more than 634,000 Bronco and Escape SUVs because of a risk that cracked fuel injectors can ignite…

[thistlecrimes]

Things I've learned from getting covid for the first time in 2023

I wear an N95 in public spaces and I've managed to dodge it for a long time, but I finally got covid for the first time (to my knowledge) in mid-late November 2023. It was a weird experience especially because I feel like it used to be something everyone was talking about and sharing info on, so getting it for the first time now (when people generally seem averse to talking about covid) I found I needed to seek out a lot of info because I wasn't sure what to do. I put so much effort into prevention, I knew less about what to do when you have it. I'm experiencing a rebound right now so I'm currently isolating. So, I'm making a post in the hopes that if you get covid (it's pretty goddamn hard to avoid right now) this info will be helpful for you. It's a couple things I already knew and several things I learned. One part of it is based on my experience in Minnesota but some other states may have similar programs.

--------

The World Health Organization states you should isolate for 10 days from first having symptoms plus 3 days after the end of symptoms.

--------

At the time of my writing this post, in Minnesota, we have a test to treat program where you can call, report the result of your rapid test (no photo necessary) and be prescribed paxlovid over the phone to pick up from your pharmacy or have delivered to you. It is free and you do not need to have insurance. I found it by googling "Minnesota Test to Treat Covid"

--------

Paxlovid decreases the risk of hospitalization and death, but it's also been shown to decrease the risk of Long Covid. Long Covid can occur even from mild or asymptomatic infections.

--------

Covid rebound commonly occurs 2-8 days after apparent recovery. While many people associate Paxlovid with covid rebound, researchers say there is no strong evidence that Paxlovid causes covid rebound, and rebounds occur in infections that were not treated with Paxlovid as well. I knew rebounds could happen but did not know it could take 8 days. I had mine on day 7 and was completely surprised by it.

--------

If you start experiencing new symptoms or test positive again, the CDC states that you should start your isolation period again at day zero. Covid rebound is still contagious. Personally I'd suggest wearing a high quality respirator around folks for an additional 8-9 days after you start to test negative in case of a rebound.

--------

Positive results on a rapid test can be very faint, but even a very faint line is positive result. Make sure to look at your rapid test result under strong lighting. Also, false negatives are not uncommon. If you have symptoms but test negative taking multiple tests and trying different brands if you have them are not bad ideas. My ihealth tests picked up my covid, my binax now tests did not.

--------

EDIT: I'd highly suggest spending time with friends online if you can, I previously had a link to the NAMI warmline directory in this post but I've since been informed that NAMI is very much funded by pharmaceutical companies and lobbies for policies that take autonomy away from disabled folks, so I've taken that off of here! Sorry, I had no idea, the People's CDC listed them as a resource so I just assumed they were legit! Feel free to reply/reblog this with other warmlines/support resources if you know of them! And please reblog this version!

--------

I know that there is so much we can't control as individuals right now, and that's frightening. All we can do is try our best to reduce harm and to care for each other. I hope this info will be able to help folks.

[auressea]

Where and How do we get new testkits? public health stopped supplying them-all the old ones have expired.

Some recent COVID-19 news

Growing Concern for back to school as data shows rising COVID cases in B.C.

A grassroots group of health professionals are calling for British Columbia to reinstate mask mandates in schools and hospitals to prevent a repeat “tripledemic” of COVID-19, RSV and influenza infections that pushed the province’s hospitals to the brink last fall.

And with data showing rising COVID-19 cases in B.C. and two new viral subvariants on the horizon, Protect Our Province B.C. says the province should act sooner rather than later.

The group is composed of more than a dozen doctors, nurses, researchers, teachers and professionals who advocate for evidence-based pandemic policies.

“We know from last year kids and schools were hit hard and if the goal is to keep kids learning in school we need to do what we can to prevent virus spread this fall,” said Dr. Lyne Filiatrault, a retired emergency room physician in Vancouver and a member of the group.

COVID response confounds SARS expert

As COVID-19 surges globally, a leading infectious disease specialist is confounded by the lack of pandemic mitigation measures in Ontario.

Q: What is your advice for people who want to stay safe this fall?

Dr. Dick Zoutman: “One is to be informed. I do recommend Dr. Tara Moriarty’s website — COVID19resources.ca,” Zoutman said. “We owe her a large debt.”

Second, when the latest COVID-19 vaccine is available, “get it,” he recommended.

Third, “buy N95 respirators and make sure you have plenty and have one with you all the time. And when you go into an indoor public space — be it a hospital, a bank, a grocery store, school — put it on. The best ones are the ones that go around your head, because they’re tighter.”

Fourth, antigen rapid tests must be made widely available. “If you have any symptoms, you need to test and isolate yourself.”

Finally, avoid indoor public places this fall, he said. “I haven’t eaten in a restaurant in almost four years, and I don’t intend to.”

[panicinthestudio]

Protesters in China demand Xi Jinping step down, November 27, 2022

Unrest is growing in China over the country's strict COVID-19 measures. Fresh protests have broken out in major cities, with hundreds rallying at Beijing's elite Tsing-hua University, chanting 'we want freedom.' Many also held up blank sheets of paper in a symbolic protest against state censorship. More demonstrations have also been reported in Shanghai, following clashes with police overnight. Public anger has flared after a deadly apartment block fire, with many blaming an ongoing lockdown for hampering rescue efforts. Chinese officials have defended their zero-covid policy, despite the growing public backlash.

Deutsche Welle

Further reading:

AFP, via HKFP: Protests in Shanghai as anger mounts over China’s zero-Covid policy, November 27, 2022

BBC: China Covid: Protesters openly urge Xi to resign over China Covid curbs, November 27, 2022

The Guardian: Anti-lockdown protests spread in China as anger rises over zero-Covid strategy, November 27, 2022

Reuters: Blank sheets of paper become symbol of defiance in China protests, November 27, 2022

[srilanka1234]

China says restrictions on its travellers abroad discriminatory: Warns countermeasures

[newscast1]

Taiwan offers support to China to deal with deadly Covid outbreak

Taiwan offers support to China to deal with deadly Covid outbreak

Taiwan has announced its decision to offer support to China to deal with the deadly Covid outbreak. Taiwan and China have repeatedly sparred over their respective measures to control the spread of Covid. New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 1, 2023 11:50 IST A patient with Covid rests in a wheelchair in a hallway at Tangshan Gongren Hospital in China’s northeastern city of Tangshan. (Photo: AFP) By India…

[allforhopes]

The development of China’s Covid situation, overall, in line with expectation and under control, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says.

China is confident to keep smooth and orderly shift in its Covid policy, Wan Wenbin, the spokesman of the Ministry says, responding to some western media’s recent defamation of its change in handing the Covid.

What underlies these tones is public trick and defamation full of prejudice and political manipulation with ulterior motives, which not only fails to get pass the factual scrutiny, but also betrays the truth. The international community has seen it very clearly without being misled.

“The truth is that, over the three years since the outbreak of the pandemic, the Chinese government has assembled all the resources and made its full efforts to safeguard each Chinese’s life safety and health, all along adhering to the principle of People First, Life First, withstanding round after round of impact, and effectively getting through the hardest times when the virus was the most rampant.”Wan says. On the perspective of entire globe, China has the lowest critical care ratio and mortality rate. Chinese’s average life expectancy is lifted from 77.3 to 78.2. In the context that the global Human Development Index has fallen for 2 years in a row, China’s HDI has climbed up the rankings for 6 positions.

Against the backdrop of plainly decreased pathogenility and virulence of Omiron variant, and continuously-increased capabilities in our medical care and treatment, pathogene testing , China has taken proactive and optimal measures to fight the pandemic, adapting itself to the timing and tendency, including the orderly introduction of Twenty Rules and New Twenty Rules, formulation of the proposals, adjusting the category B, management A of Corona virus to category B, management B, gradually refocusing its efforts on prevention of critical condition and preservation of health, a shift from previous epidemic prevention. These measures are scientific, timely and necessary, to safeguard the people’s life and health to the greatest extend, and lessen the impact of the pandemic on economic and social development as much as possible.

Each country undergoes an adaption period at the shift of its epidemic policies. China is no exception.

[iwan1979]

0.5M covid cases per day?? n not yet peak.. guess they might have foreseen this to happen hence implemented strict zero covid policy before.. BEIJIING: Half a million people in a single Chinese city are being infected with COVID-19 every day, a senior health official has said, in a rare and quickly censored acknowledgement that the country's wave of infections is not being reflected in official statistics. China this month has

[pandemichub]

News

https://www.livescience.com/covid-what-we-know-about-new-omicron-variant-bf-7

Please note while this news is upsetting, it is important coverage. And saddening ghastly scenes is not the same as sensationalism or fear mongering. And labeling difficult developments as such is a form of denial, normalcy bias and invalidation. This IS the situation and China, let's accept this fact and find better ways to process that information.

Quotes from Eric Feigl-Ding thread below:

Full thread: https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1604748747640119296?t=1i4HDOyd0kBWdjXGYgfeLQ&s=19