"Treating People Like Pigs" Forced Vaccination with Quarantine Bracelets... China's Quarantine Under Fire

China's epidemic prevention authorities, who adhere to a strict zero-COVID policy, have been embroiled in controversy over excessive quarantine measures, such as stamping a negative COVID-19 mark on the back of the hand or forcibly requiring the wearing of quarantine anklets.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Chinese quarantine authorities, who adhere strictly to the zero-COVID policy, have once again come under scrutiny for excessive quarantine measures that infringe on basic rights. Citizens expressed dissatisfaction over unreasonable enforcement such as stamping a COVID-19 negative mark on the back of the hand or forcibly wearing quarantine electronic bracelets. The authorities maintain that the current quarantine system can effectively control the spread of Omicron subvariants.

According to recent reports from Tianmu News and others, it was revealed that some outsiders under self-quarantine in certain areas of Beijing, China, were required to wear electronic bracelets for temperature measurement, sparking controversy.

A netizen posted on the Chinese social networking service (SNS) Weibo, "A quarantine official visited a day before my self-quarantine was to be lifted and said 'the quarantine policy has changed,' then gave me an electronic bracelet for temperature measurement." According to the media, it was confirmed that these bracelets were distributed in several districts of Beijing, including Changfeng, Shunyi, and Chaoyang.

Those who received the electronic bracelets were notified that they must wear them 24 hours a day except during bathing and device charging times. In response, a netizen expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "Locking doors to prevent going out, strictly following PCR testing regulations, and now forcing bracelet wearing is excessive."

Concerns about personal information leakage were also raised. The electronic bracelet requires downloading a related app, entering the device's unique number, and linking it to a mobile phone to measure temperature, leading to suspicions about whether it is solely for temperature measurement. Some even complained, "It feels like being treated as a criminal, which is harmful to mental health."

Regarding this, the Beijing Municipal Health Commission stated, "There is no regulation requiring electronic bracelets for self-quarantined individuals," adding, "Different quarantine measures may be applied depending on local circumstances." Also, a quarantine official from one district that distributed the bracelets reportedly said, "The quarantine policy changes daily. We are troubled as well," according to the media.

On April 24, residents of Shanghai, China, who had recovered from COVID-19, are leaving a temporary hospital escorted by medical staff. [Image source=Yonhap News]

This is not the first time that China's excessive quarantine administration aiming for zero COVID has come under criticism. On the 5th, in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, there was strong backlash after residents were stamped with a COVID-19 negative confirmation mark on their bodies. Local officials reportedly required the stamp to remain visible for three days as part of COVID-19 quarantine measures. Residents criticized this, saying, "It reminds us of livestock quarantine stamps," and "It treats people like animals." As the controversy grew, the authorities issued a public apology but explained it was a method to avoid congestion at health centers.

In Shanghai, claims were made that elderly people were forcibly vaccinated against COVID-19. On the 14th, a netizen posted on Weibo, "A residents' committee in Jing'an District, Shanghai, visited the home of a 98-year-old and forcibly vaccinated them against COVID-19." They added, "(The committee) did not obtain the elderly person's consent or signature, and the person is in critical condition after vaccination." Another netizen revealed, "In Fengpu Xinchun, Jing'an District, a 78-year-old's blood pressure was 178, but the doctor said 'it's okay,' administered antihypertensive medication, and then vaccinated the person."

Earlier, the National Health Commission of China stated last month, "Vaccination should be based on the individual's consent and voluntary principle," and "We will strictly punish forced vaccination." However, it is known that several local governments have effectively made vaccination mandatory by banning unvaccinated individuals from entering public institutions.

Meanwhile, as Omicron subvariants of COVID-19 continue to spread in regions such as Guangxi Province, Shanghai, and Anhui Province, the authorities stated that the current quarantine system can effectively control the spread of Omicron subvariants. Dong Xiaoping, chief expert at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, explained to the state-run news agency Xinhua on the 17th, "Based on current data, the transmissibility of variants such as BA.5 identified in China is higher compared to previous Omicron variants, but the risk has not significantly changed," adding, "The current quarantine measures (9th edition) are still effective."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.