How Chinese people are dealing with the spread of covid-19
The government has left the public to fend for itself
Just a few months ago Chinese people had little fear of catching covid-19. The government’s “zero-covid” measures kept them safe for the most part. Mass testing and strict lockdowns contained the virus. If a person did test positive, the government would swoop in. The infected were taken to state-run quarantine centres. If symptomatic, they were treated in a designated hospital. Health workers would douse their house with disinfectant and test their neighbours.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “On their own”
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