As COVID-19 Deaths Surge in China, Criticism Floods In... Will There Be a Shift to 'Scientific Quarantine'?

Death of 55-Year-Old Woman Following Three-Year-Old's Accident
Proposals to Ban Door Blocking and Other Improvements
Government-Aligned Commentator Hoo Si-jin: "Uncertainty in Quarantine Damages Beijing's Image"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Kim Hyunjung] As fatal accidents due to excessive zero-COVID prevention measures continue to occur in China, criticism of the authorities' epidemic prevention policies is growing louder. In some regions, officials have taken the initiative to hold press conferences, promising a more scientific approach and pledging not to arbitrarily extend quarantine periods or seal off doors, in an effort to ease tensions.

According to local media such as Zhonghua Net on the 7th, Hohhot in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region held a press conference on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control the day before, announcing a correction of prevention policies and presenting "7 prohibitions." This came after public outrage over excessive prevention measures erupted following the discovery of a 55-year-old woman suffering from anxiety disorder found dead inside her locked residence on the 4th. Earlier, on the 1st of this month, a 3-year-old child in a locked residential complex in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, died due to carbon monoxide poisoning, with delayed medical response blamed on epidemic prevention measures.

Hohhot stated, "The boundaries of medium- and high-risk areas must not be arbitrarily expanded; they should be scientifically judged and accurately delineated," and pledged to specify the units of risk area boundaries more precisely to avoid locking down entire regions. They also explained that movement restrictions should not be arbitrarily extended from medium- and high-risk areas to low-risk areas, and that contactless methods for purchasing goods will be allowed in locked-down areas.

They further announced that the management and control period of risk areas will not be arbitrarily extended. They clarified that if there are no new infections for seven consecutive days in a high-risk area and all nucleic acid tests on the seventh day are negative, the area should be downgraded to medium-risk, and if no new cases are reported for three consecutive days thereafter, it should be adjusted to low-risk.

Additionally, they promised not to seal residents' doors or lock down entire buildings or complexes. No separate locking devices should be installed, and if such incidents occur, complaints can be filed through 12345, with responsible parties held accountable later.

They also emphasized that medical services cannot be refused to patients needing treatment due to epidemic prevention reasons, that reasonable public demands should not be ignored, and that timely explanations and responses must be provided. Furthermore, they mentioned that people returning to their hometowns should not be obstructed and should be allowed to return smoothly. Hohhot also explained that bus and subway operations will be gradually resumed according to demand.

On the same day, in Zhengzhou, where a mass walkout of Foxconn factory workers occurred, the city government voluntarily held a press conference, stating that the situation is coming under control, with 454 new confirmed cases (409 asymptomatic) reported over the three days from the 3rd to the 5th. They also reported dispatching more than 2,000 experts to conduct disinfection and cleaning operations.

Earlier, Tao Suliang, vice chairman of the China Market Association and daughter of Tao Zhu, the last pro-monarchist who was ousted during the Cultural Revolution after serving as a member of the Communist Party Central Politburo Standing Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, recently attracted attention by expressing strong dissatisfaction with the authorities' epidemic prevention guidelines on her WeChat public account. According to Hong Kong Ming Pao, she lamented, "During my visit to Huzhou with my husband, we underwent daily nucleic acid tests, all negative, but just before returning to Beijing, a pop-up appeared on the Jiankangbao (health app that certifies nucleic acid test results), and I experienced the sense of loss and helplessness of a homeless person." Former Global Times editor Hu Xijin, a pro-Communist Party commentator, also recently emphasized on his social media that "uncertainty about entry damages China's image" and that related standards and rules should be clearly disclosed.

Meanwhile, according to the National Health Commission of China, the number of new infections reported yesterday across 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions was 5,496 (4,961 asymptomatic), a sharp increase of 1,076 from 4,420 the previous day.

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