Xi Jinping participates in the decision on the New Year’s political direction
Originally scheduled for 15th… Future schedule undecided
Pfizer Paxlovid Retail First allowed
Purchase despite the high price of 560,000 won per box
The announcement of the number of asymptomatic infections has also been suspended.
Appearance of the mutant BQ.1 “hellcat virus”
The spread of infections among medical personnel… Confusion between hospitals and pharmacies
The Chinese government has postponed the Central Economic Work Conference, which was due to be held in Beijing on the 15th, due to the increase in the number of corona infections19. It changed its attitude to keeping tabs on foreign drugs, allowed the retail sale of Paxrovid, an oral treatment from Pfizer, and stopped reporting the number of asymptomatic infections.
According to Bloomberg News on the 13th (local time), an anonymous government source said: “As the number of corona19 infections has skyrocketed, we have decided to postpone the central economic working meeting scheduled for this week behind closed doors. It has not been decided when it will be held again,” he said.
The Central Economic Work Conference, which was attended by hundreds of top policy makers including President Xi Jinping, high-ranking local government officials and state-owned enterprise representatives, set the new year’s economic growth targets and stimulus measures economic and held two sessions (National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference) in March next year.) is proposed. It is estimated that it will not be easy to hold this year’s meeting scheduled for three days from the 15th because even Beijing, the capital, is flooded with infections.
Reuters reported that Chinese healthcare platform “111.inc” has started selling Paxlobid to the general public at 2,980 yuan (about 560,000 won) per pack. Despite the “high price dispute”, the Chinese, who are wary of the efficacy of domestically produced drugs, sold out in 30 minutes due to large-scale stockpiles. Authorities approved Paxlobid in February, but it was only given to a few seriously ill patients by strictly controlling its intake and distribution.
The National Health Commission (Wigan Commission) said on the 14th: “Since the quarantine measures were eased on the 7th, many asymptomatic infections have not been tested for gene amplification (PCR), so the actual statistics cannot be understood “. The policy was changed after the permanent PCR test was abolished and the reliability of government statistics collapsed due to the rapid increase in the number of infected people. The Wigan Commission said the previous day there were 2,249 new infections on the mainland with no distinction between asymptomatic and symptomatic. In the case of Beijing, it was announced as 476 people, and compared to the 5,000 level of 6, it was reduced to 1/10. Sun Chunlan, deputy premier of the State Council in charge of epidemic prevention and control, admitted to the rumor that the number of new infections is rising rapidly in Beijing as he inspects frontline hospitals. “The vast majority are asymptomatic infections and mild cases, and most of the 50 critically ill patients are those with underlying diseases,” he said.
Anxiety is growing as BQ.1, an omicron submutation of Corona 19, appears. Quarantine authorities said, “49 cases of BQ.1 and its subvariants (BQ.1.1) have been detected in 9 provinces of China” , has explained. On social media such as Weibo, a post saying, “‘Hell Dog Virus’ has emerged, which is more contagious and toxic.”
Hospital operations in Beijing and elsewhere are also under pressure as the infection spreads among medical staff. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that “some hospitals are canceling non-emergency surgeries and there is a significant shortage of medical staff, so infected doctors continue to see patients.” “All the pharmacists on duty are sick. We ask for your understanding,” she added.
Correspondent Liu Ji-young in Beijing
