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China is now facing a new phase in its fight against the covid-19 virus. From the goal of preventing contagion to guaranteeing access to medical resources for the infected. After nearly three years of dynamic covid-free policy, within a week all restrictions were eased and the virus is rampant across China.
Officially the numbers of recorded infections have dropped, even if the truth hidden behind these data is the absence of massive tests in addition to the opacity concerned to avoid showing that the situation is out of control.
Vice Premier Sun Chunlan was conducting an inspection of hospitals and clinics on Tuesday, saying it was impossible to determine the true number of infections.
“Many asymptomatic people no longer take PCR tests, making it impossible to accurately determine the true number of infected people,” the health ministry warned in a statement.
The practice of the test, which until a few weeks ago was common to all citizens, has disappeared. The analysis centers have been closed and those that remain are half-empty, also due to the boredom of people waiting for results that never arrive.
As sales of individual antigen test kits have skyrocketed, pharmacies are already reporting shortages of these kits and of various antiviral drugs, such as acetaminophen. The lines of a few weeks ago in front of the testing centers have moved to the pharmacy counters.
Beijing looks like a ghost town, despite the official news that the Chinese capital has returned to normal. The infections are very numerous, the people affected with mild symptoms lock themselves at home and those who are not yet infected fear being contaminated on the street now that there is no type of prevention measure.
The authorities have assured that they have enabled more fever clinics and that the treatment of covid patients will be guaranteed in all medical centers. However, most decide to spend the peak of infection at home. There is talk of only 50 serious cases hospitalized.
The streets are empty, even the famous motorcycle messengers, the “kuaidi”, so typical of a daily Chinese scene, have ceased to be seen, perhaps infected. Stacks of order boxes pile up in distribution centers awaiting the return of delivery service.
In one week, the official discourse has made a 180-degree turn and many citizens feel helpless and afraid. The virus, it is true, is not very pathogenic, as they are keen to defend in the official media, even if three years of reiterating the discourse of fear have put a strain on people who are now experiencing moments of uncertainty once again.
