The case against zero-Covid excesses: Chinese lawyers speak out

The strategy has taken a financial and psychological toll on people and they should be compensated, Peking University law professor says

In some cases, enforcement of preventive measures has reached ridiculous levels, lawyer says

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A worker prepares food supplies to be delivered to residents of a compound under lockdown in Xian, Shaanxi province, late last year. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:30pm, 30 Jan 2022

The outbreaks have been sporadic but the response has been swift and hard.

Over the last two years of the pandemic, Chinese authorities have reacted to community cases of the coronavirus with sudden lockdowns and mass testing in a strategy that has become known as “zero-Covid”.

The aim has been to quash spread in the community before it really has a chance, particularly in the lead-up to the Winter Olympics in Beijing and the start of the Lunar New Year holiday season.

The official line has been a largely unquestioned mantra but a number of high-profile cases have prompted discussions online about application of the Covid containment rules. Last week, a Dancheng county official in Henan province threatened detentions for travellers who would normally face quarantine, accusing some of “maliciously” returning home for Lunar New Year.

And earlier this month, two pregnant women in Xian lost their babies as coronavirus-related restrictions delayed treatment.

Now a professor at one of the country’s leading universities has called on authorities to stop excessive law enforcement and acknowledge the sacrifice made by people under strict preventive measures.