The Covid nightmare returns to China, accompanied by new doubts about the effectiveness of the zero Covid policy that the Beijing government continues to stubbornly pursue, continuously imposing restrictions and lockdowns. Three people died over the weekend after contracting Covid: these are the first deaths that mainland China has reported since May, when the city of Shanghai was still under lockdown.
All three victims, aged between 87 and 91, had precarious health conditions before the infection and lived in Beijing.
The news revealed by the Chinese media did not indicate whether these were vaccinated people or not.
An article by CNBC reports that, on November 11, more than 90% of the 1.4 billion Chinese population had been vaccinated; however, the percentage was lower for those over 80, equal to 65.7%. For comparison, in the United States, well over 90% of Americans age 75 and older have been vaccinated while in Singapore, at least 90% of the population are vaccinated.
The southern Chinese province of Guangdong, especially the city of Guangzhou itself, remains among the areas of China most affected by the new wave of Covid.
As of Sunday, the province reported nearly 1,000 cases of Covid with symptoms, and more than 8,000 asymptomatic cases of infection.
Guangzhou authorities have announced that schools will remain closed in seven of the city’s 11 districts, and that DAD distance learning will continue.
Only one district could start allowing students to return to class again.
The latest wave of Covid in China has affected various regions, triggering lockdown measures and restrictions on corporate and social activities of varying intensity. In the city alone on Sunday, mainland China reported more than 26,000 new Covid cases.