How China’s close contacts are piling pressure on Beijing’s zero-Covid policy
More than 1.3mn people in China were under medical observation this week as close contacts of cases of Covid-19, the highest level since the pandemic erupted out of Wuhan, and an increase of more than 300,000 in just a few days.
The soaring number of close contacts, driven by a rise in cases to near record levels, is putting immense strain on a Covid-19 policy that in contrast with the rest of the world aims to eliminate rather than live with the virus.
China’s strategy has evolved since the start of the pandemic. While authorities have often relied on citywide lockdowns, most notably in Wuhan in early 2020 and in Shanghai in 2022, they also use a sophisticated track and trace system that quickly quarantines close contacts of infections for “medical observation”.
Local governments have invested in building temporary isolation facilities. In October, Shanghai confirmed it would build a 3,000-person facility on Fuxing Island at a cost of about $220mn, designed for both close contacts and positive cases.
This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Thomas Hale
