Chinese City With 1.2 Million Residents Locked Down After 3 Positive Cases Emerged

China had been trying to keep up with its zero-Covid strategy, and even doubled its public health - or social order protocol. In fact, the country tries to stamp out the disease whenever it appears.

Just this Monday, Chinese authorities kicked off the new year by implementing lockdown in a city of almost 1.2 million people when three asymptomatic cases of Covid-19 emerged in the area.

The recent cases have garnered increasingly strict responses as Beijing holds on to its zero-Covid strategy ahead of the forthcoming Winter Olympics next month.

All residents in Yuzhou, Henan province were ordered to stay inside, and residential communities to post sentries at gates. Different parts of city have varying rules with regards to points of entrance and exit. Public transport has been currently suspended and cars are not allowed on the road except for epidemic response vehicles.

In addition, businesses have been closed except for those that "guarantee the supply of daily life materials".

Communist party demands "strict and proper" implementation of restrictions

While the Covid laws implemented by Chinese cities seek to strengthen its emergency response, Communist party authorities demanded local officials to "strictly and properly" implement restrictions after desperate residents were experiencing food shortages as they were barred from grocery shopping.

In Xi'an in Shaanxi province, harsh lockdown of 13 million people has been in place for almost two weeks. Negative test results are required before seeking medical attention, tens of thousands are in quarantine, and people who evade protocols were recently publicly shamed by being paraded through the streets in Hazmat suits with placards round their necks.

"The various work that needs to be done must only be strengthened," said Liu Guozhong, the provincial head of the party in Shaanxi, of which Xi'an is its capital.

The epidemic control effort is at a pivotal moment, Liu said. "We'd rather widen our identification of groups at risk than to overlook a single person," quoted the Xi'an government on Tuesday.

Liu added that no one should be overlooked during mass testing in key Xi'an areas and "household doors" should be closely watched in rural parts of the city to make sure people are complying with travel curbs.

Also read: Severe COVID-19 Symptoms From Omicron Could be More Dangerous Compared to Other Strains

Have the restrictions gone too far?

Others say they are, but some are also largely supportive, in line with apparent broad support for the country's continued policy of stamping out outbreaks.

While most countries are gradually loosening up, others previously pursued zero-Covid strategies. Whatever the cost, China relies on its policy of keeping the virus at bay and even push it extremely hard for most of this year.

Other scientists warn that Beijing's autocratic powers and popular support for lockdowns and other control measures may not be enough to stop highly transmissible new variants.

"China will have great difficulty with Omicron and a zero Covid policy," Tulio Oliveira, director of South Africa's Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation, said. "They may need to join the rest of the world with mitigation strategies. China should not punish its public health officials or citizens or foreigns because (of) a more transmissible variant."

Also read: Experts Warn How Omicron Variant May Bear the Fourth COVID-19 Wave