China’s zero-COVID-19 strategy is starting to look a little far-fetched, as countries around the world show signs of accepting the idea of co-existing with the virus as they start to reopen and ease pandemic prevention and control measures.
In the United States, New York’s famous Times Square is reopening for it’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration. And on the other side of the world, New Zealand plans to open the borders of its largest city next month.
Melbourne, Australia, also eased its longest lockdown last month. After the stroke of midnight, residents flocked to pubs and bars in the city as they celebrated the relaxing of pandemic measures.
In contrast, the atmosphere in China remains tense in many provinces because a strict COVID-19 elimination policy is still in effect—and has been since the pandemic first began. And by the looks of it, Chinese authorities are dead serious about getting to zero virus cases.
In this week’s special report, we take a look at what this zero-COVID policy looks like in action, just how harsh the measures get under the communist regime, and whether, in Chinese authorities’ eyes, all ends justify the means.