The covid returns, China closes and Colombia moves

At 6:52 am the first Tik Tak sounds today Tuesday November 29th WEEK and it plays on the sides of the situation in China, because while there the reappearance of the covid has been so worrying that it has led the government to practically close the country, creating furious protests from its inhabitants, here in Colombia there are only very timid warnings about the opportunity to use the mask again before the reappearance of the covid.

No, there is only room here for the Minister of Health, Carolina Corcho, to announce a puzzle in the health system, but health itself is still absent from the topic of discussion, even if the cases of covid here to date have increased by one 63%.

But let’s go back to China, because rarely in a country ―with such a tyrannical government― had it been so tested with the harshest protests and with some very interesting phenomena, for example the appearance of the covid magnates, owners of the 35 largest companies producing antivirus tests that produced trillions of dollars in profits in the first half of 2022.

Response from Chinese citizens: “We don’t want to test, we want freedom”. The city closures and travel restrictions that the Chinese government is applying to reach the The covid 0, which is their goal, has undermined consumer confidence and economic growth, causing clear protests across the country as covid-19 cases increase.

Domestic flights have decreased by 45% due to movement restrictions, only 42% of cinemas are still open, youth unemployment has reached a record high of 19.9%, that is almost 20%. The lockdowns resulting from the anti-covid policy have been met with citizens feeling that they are disorganized and very repressive, citizens are permanently subjected to endless covid tests and businesses and residential areas can be closed without warning. And the situation can last until mid-2023 if the central government does not define an exit strategy.

Recently, for example, 10 people died and as many were injured during a building fire because its exit doors were closed. Under these circumstances, China’s economy looks drab. The best example is the closure of an iPhone assembly plant which caused huge problems for Apple, owner of the brand.

These are just some signs that the lockdowns in China have been going on for too long and people are wondering: why aren’t the same measures in place in the rest of the world? Not to mention the World Cup, the World Cup showcase, where fans without masks sing the goals with great enthusiasm. Chinese state sensors have opted for something very simple, broadcasting matches, eliminating a large part of the audience in their broadcasts.

Conclusion, the situation in China seems exaggerated due to government overreaction. While here, in Colombia, it also seems exaggerated, but quite the opposite.