China official blames anti-zero-COVID protests on 'foreign forces' as nation reels under massive virus wave
Nearly a fortnight after China lifted the much-despised 'zero-Covid' restrictions following a spate of protests, the country is reeling under a massive coronavirus wave, with a Chinese diplomat blaming "foreign forces" for the anti-government demonstrations.
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FollowAfter a wave of protests, China repealed the despised "zero-Covid" restrictions; now, some two weeks later, the nation is suffering from a severe coronavirus outbreak, with a Chinese envoy blaming the unrest to "foreign forces."
Videos of clinics in Beijing and other cities that were crowded with patients and had lines that extended into the sidewalks while people waited patiently for their turn in the chilly winter have been making the rounds on China's social media.
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Videos also showed a large number of people sitting in their cars and in the clinic parking lots while hooked up to IV drips. The Omicron virus is having a field day with the majority of the apartment buildings, which were earlier under the cover of zero-Covid reported fast-increasing cases, while many people with strong fever waited outside the clinics. The virus is not sparing anyone, including Chinese Foreign Ministry officials, Beijing-based diplomats and journalists.
A senior Chinese diplomat has claimed that although the local government's failure to control the epidemic was the initial cause of last month's anti-zero covid protests, "foreign forces" quickly "took advantage" of them. The protests included chants against President Xi Jinping and the ruling Communist Party. The remarks by Lu Shaye, China's Ambassador to France, were the first by a Chinese official after rare protests erupted in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and other cities.
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According to the zero-Covid policy, everyone who tested positive for covid and their contacts were promptly sent—and in some cases, dragged—to residences managed by the government for quarantine, where residents complained about the substandard living conditions.
On December 3, the government announced the easing of a number of limitations, including the requirement to intern in quarantine centres. This move was reportedly made in response to the demonstrations that had taken place in a number of cities, including Beijing. Additionally, the government shut down a number of testing facilities, and the official Apps no longer display the exam results for people who took it at community centres.
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Official epidemiologists abruptly assured the public that the Omicron strain, which is presently sweeping the nation, is not harmful, unlike the Delta virus, and will decline after a few days of rest and medications. Instead, individuals were urged to treat themselves at home for moderate symptoms.
(WIth PTI Inputs)
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