The current covid-19 situation in China
Ten months after the city of Wuhan was closed down, the world is still being ravaged by the covid-19 pandemic. As of today, there have been over 59 million cases and more than one million deaths. Ten months ago, no one could even imagine this scenario (except Taiwan). Rumours and conspiracy theories already abounded back then, but were confined to the situation in China. Do you remember that one of the rumours said that the virus was created by the US and spread in China to undermine the Chinese government? Oh my, if that had been true, it would be the perfect definition of “backfire”!
The situation in Spain, my home country, has been specially dire and, after a short reprieve in the summer, the second wave was well on its way (who thought it was a good idea to end lockdown when there were 80,000 active cases?). The same thing has happened in many other countries and the news are constantly reporting new record daily cases in one place and new lockdowns in another. However, there are barely any news about China on international media. Maybe because of this, many of my friends and relatives often ask me what’s the situation like in China. Do we have a lot of cases? Are we on lockdown again? And when they ask, I feel bad when I reply that… we barely have any cases, and we’ve been living a normal life since more or less April. We’ve even been able to travel (domestically) and celebrate Halloween, as I’ve written on this blog.
Yep, the country where everything started; where, according to the conspiracy theories at the beginning, the zombie apocalypse was unfolding, is pretty much covid free! The lockdown we had at the beginning of the year (and which wasn’t even compulsory outside of Hubei province) paid off. We stayed at home for about 6 weeks and then were able to slowly resume normal life. As of today, in Suzhou there are no restrictions whatsoever, although masks are still compulsory in public transportation and encouraged in other public places like malls. We can meet with all the friends we want, eat in restaurants and go to the playground. Here’s a link to an article in The Lancet that explains how China managed to control the virus.
Masked up on the subway.
Trying a new indoor playground last weekend.
But this doesn’t mean China is completely covid free. As we all know by now, this virus is a real sneaky bastard that likes surprising us with new outbreaks. In these past few months, there have been several outbreaks in China, but they have been quickly brought under control. When there are a couple of local transmissions within a city, everybody is tested and in some cases the city is closed. Quite a radical approach, but one that works here. The last scare was in Shanghai a few days ago: After 5 airport cargo workers were confirmed as positive, on Sunday night all workers from the cargo department were tested (over 17,000 people!).
We haven’t had any cases in Suzhou but several dozen people had to be tested last week after a man from Tianjin who had been here on November 6 was confirmed as positive on November 20. I’m not even sure he had the virus on November 6, but the people here who had contact with him have been tested anyway!
So, for now, we are living a normal life and enjoying our freedom, although we are very aware that the virus could stage a comeback at any time. I hope the strict measures taken in China pay off and we can remain like this until the rest of the world gets better!
PS. I hope I’m not jinxed anymore and a huge outbreak is not found in China right after I publish this post…
Life does need to go on, so it makes sense that is how things are. Stay safe regardless of how it progresses! 💖
Yes, life needs to go on. But, preferably, with as few cases of the virus as possible!
It’s amazing how efficient an authoritarian country can be, especially one that had SARS experience (after the initial attempt at a coverup). But even with China’s example, some 60 million Americans fight wearing masks, insist on partying, and even go into the ICU sure that COVID isn’t real.
So the rest of us have to go through wave after wave of COVID. We won’t get back to normal until there’s a vaccine–and then, of course, half of those anti-mask morons will be anti-vaxxers.
I think the key here was that everybody remembered SARS. My husband was in college when it happened and they couldn’t leave the campus in months. Meanwhile, in the west people thought pandemics were things of the past or of underdeveloped countries…
Yeah, but Ebola was fine…when we had a competent government.
It doesn’t need to be an authoritarian government, here in NZ we had a 5 week lockdown with gradually easing restrictions, and since then (bar one more outbreak scare in August when the country was put back into restrictions for a few weeks) we are living normal lives, bar international travel. Of course, for those of us with family or partners overseas, this is still very hard to live with ☹ It has been 9 months now since I have seen my Australian boyfriend, and although I could go to see him, coming back into the country would involve 2 weeks quarantine and also trying to find a spot in the quarantine booking system, not to mention that airfares are horrendously expensive and quarantine even more so.
Interestingly, there is increasing evidence that Covid was around well before it became known for what it was, although at some point it seems to have mutated to become more catchy and deadly. Where it originated from is anyone’s guess and is pointless in my opinion anyway, what matters more is getting rid of it https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-circulating-italy-earlier-thought.html
Yes, NZ did great! And other countries led by women too, which makes you think… hehe.
I also don’t know when we will be able to travel to Spain again… now I’m not even sure if next summer will be feasible :( Coming back to China is also a tremendous pain in the ass that involves 4 or 5 tests, quarantine in a hotel and very expensive and hard to get plane tickets…
Congratulations to China. I’m glad you’re doing so well. Great photos of your family.
Here in the US, I’m looking forward to January 20 when Trump leaves office. It will take a long time for Biden to undo the harm Trump has done, though, not only to the government but also to his followers who have been propagandized by him and taught to believe in conspiracy theories. Some of them still believe COVID is a hoax.
In Spain there’s also people who believe it’s a hoax… I wonder what would need to happen for them to believe it’s real?
I hope the US and the rest of the countries can improve their situations soon.
what? Is there anybody still think COVID19 is a hoax?
Either a hoax, or something that was done on purpose by the Illuminati or Bill Gates to control our minds xD
Things are pretty much normal here in Hong Kong too, give and take small outbreaks. I feel like Asian countries are just better at handling this whole crisis, in general? Maybe it’s because we aren’t opposed to wearing masks lol.
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
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Glad to hear that! Yes, Asian countries dealt better. I think because they remembered SARS and yes, because wearing masks is normal here and in the west people are like “OMG I’m asphyxiating”.
Oh man, I’M SO JEALOUS!! A lot of my friends in China have been sending me photos of public events, gatherings, gym meetings etc.. and life looks so normal. I’m truly jealous. In America we’re still very diseased. I barley leave my home… I miss seeing others…!
Crossing fingers things stay safe in Suzhou for you and your family!
Now Chinese people have one more reason to believe that China is the safest place on Earth and all other countries are a mess xD
It’s crazy how China and most of Asia’s more or less free of it. Life it pretty much as normal in Catalunya for what the situation is and the regulations imposed. I don’t go out to bars and restaurants so that ban didn’t affect me. I’m hoping from 7th Dec the comarcas open up so I can travel further at the weekend. Gyms reopened again this week so I feel like I have a little life back!
Be careful at the gym! Do you have to exercise with a mask on?
Happy New Year!
We have to now, but it’s okay. I’m used to it and it improves fitness levels somehow! Thankfully I run outside as you have to wear them on treadmills and exercise bikes etc. Outside running, cycling you don’t have too. I have to wear one climbing at the climbing gym, but I’m so used to it now it doesn’t bother me.
So happy for you and jealous that life is more normal there. Here in the states people are just ridiculous with their actions or I should say inaction. Our area is experiencing a mini surge and with Thanksgiving, we’ll probably have more restrictions. The number of people who believe it is a hoax is amazing.
I’m very sorry to hear that. “Thanks” to the part of the society that acts stupid, everybody has to pay the price!
Good post, Marta. It’s good to see that things are alright in Suzhou and have been so for a while. It’s terrible how most of the world is being affected though. I hope your family members in Spain are doing ok. Though I’m still wary of the CCP given this whole thing started in Wuhan back in last December, I am glad that regular Chinese and expats are for the most part able to live normal lives.
Thanks! There in Taiwan things are also normal, right? I’m not sure when the rest of the world will recover normalcy…
Yeah, Taiwan is pretty much normal as well, other than mandatory mask-wearing on public transit. I would like to hope that most the the world can return to normal by next summer, but I am not too optimistic.