When Covid Zero abruptly ended, the public in China experienced a range of emotions. Some expressed relief and were planning their first excursions outside in three years, while others expressed concern about the spread of illnesses.
On Twitter-like Weibo, where the government's decision to halt subjecting inbound tourists to quarantine from January 8 was a top trending topic on Tuesday, one user said, "We have lost far too much in these few years with the pandemic."
Wishing everyone a swift recovery, the person continued, "hoping that we may all breathe freely and go everywhere we want freely."
In contrast to the desire for a speedy return to regular life, there were worries about overburdened hospitals, which have already experienced strain in Beijing and Shanghai. One Weibo user noted that "domestic infections are still on the rise." Indirectly addressing the government, the person questioned, "Isn't it obviously attempting to get everyone infected?"
Another internet user mentioned a deceased neighbor and the notion that there weren't enough coffins available. The person wrote, "This is the result of opening up." "Why must we be honest? Why can't we start by taking into account the weaker groups?"
Given the propaganda the Chinese government has employed since 2020 to explain its strict zero-tolerance strategy for managing Covid-19, which includes sudden lockdowns, frequent mass testing, and largely blocked borders, the conflicting opinions are unsurprising. Despite the growing economic implications, Chinese President Xi Jinping continued to support the plan up until mid-October.
When protests broke out in dozens of cities in late November, the Asian nation experienced its widest turmoil in decades. The limitations had become too much for many urban residents to tolerate. China made a significant move toward coping with the virus on December 7 by ceasing to confine affected individuals to centralized quarantine facilities.
The National Health Commission's recommendations, which were made public on Monday, go even further by allowing foreigners to apply for visas and resuming outbound travel, which was virtually nonexistent during the pandemic.
There are indications the public is perplexed by the abrupt U-turn. One Weibo user used the Chinese phrase for laziness to write, "One month ago we were still stating we'd stick to Covid Zero and put people first, yet one month later we are entirely 'laying flat' and letting it go."
The speaker continued, playing on the government's claim that it is just changing its policies, "Right, that's called optimization."
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