A shocking video that spread like wildfire on social media platforms around the world, showing the violence of elements belonging to the Corona prevention authorities in China Citizens in application of government policies in the face of the pandemic.
The scenes, believed to have been filmed in the northeastern province of Shandong, show health workers in white clothes dealing violently with local residents for “preventive reasons”.
The video also shows that they repeatedly hit a trapped person, while he was caught by the neck, thrown to the ground, and then punched in the head from behind. Then a health worker also kicked the man in the middle of the fight.
While the cause of the quarrel is not entirely clear, and might not be ascertained, the residents’ resentment at being forced to abide by the strict restrictions of Corona while the rest of the world opened up suggests its validity.
“Zero Covid”
It is noteworthy that the virus first appeared in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019, but China controlled it by closing the borders, lengthy quarantine operations and specific closure measures.
However, the highly contagious mutant Omicron poses a challenge to the efficacy and continuity of the government’s “zero Covid” strategy, as the whole of China is currently experiencing the worst outbreak of Covid since the first wave that was discovered at the end of 2019.
On Thursday, the Chinese president ordered the continuation of the strict “zero Covid” strategy that allowed his country to limit the number of deaths on its soil to less than five thousand since the beginning of the pandemic, but also allowed an approach that adopts “specific goals.”
From Hong Kong on March 6 (AFP)
Miscellaneous procedures
While a total lockdown was imposed in the event of a new outbreak, authorities across the country have taken various measures to respond to the latest wave.
Some cities opted for complete closure, including Shenzhen, the large technological center in the south of the country, with a population of 17.5 million people. However, the Shenzhen procedures were partially relaxed following the Chinese president’s words.
In contrast, Shanghai has moved to online education and imposed mass checks, avoiding a total lockdown.
A queue for a test in Shanghai on March 11 (AFP)
The authorities pointed out that those with mild symptoms can isolate themselves in central quarantine facilities, while all infected people, regardless of the severity of their symptoms, were asked to go to specialized hospitals.
But tens of millions of people have been ordered to stay at home in China Because of the new wave that led to an increase in infections from less than 100 per day three weeks ago to several thousand today.
Difficulties in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is facing difficulties in containing the wave of the mutant omicron, which has caused thousands of deaths in this semi-autonomous Chinese region.
Officials in mainland China freed up hospital beds, fearing that the virus would once more put pressure on the health system.
From Hong Kong on March 11 (AFP)
Jilin Province, which recorded thousands of injuries over the past week, has also established eight “temporary hospitals” and two quarantine centers to curb the increase in infections. The city usually has 23,000 hospital beds, with a population of 24 million.
It is noteworthy that the recent wave led to the formation of long queues in front of centers for conducting diagnostic tests in China, with tightening procedures also in ports, for fear that this would affect the movement of trade.