Lack of road map sparks confusion as Chinese cities navigate coronavirus U-turn
- Residents have complained on social media platforms about the chaos brought by sudden relaxation
- Public health experts call for transparent road map and better communication with public
Baoding, home to 10 million people, reported no cases on Friday, and identified no areas as being risky for infection.
“Many of my colleagues and relatives have been infected,” Chen said. “The numbers are uncertain, but at least one in each household. I’m really scared that I may get infected too.”
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Excitement and anxiety as China starts to reopen after zero-Covid
Many Baoding residents took to social media platforms to complain about the chaos brought by the sudden relaxation – including disruptions to everyday life, with shops closed, delivery services cut off, and insufficient supplies of drugs to fight the virus – and the topic began trending on Weibo, the Chinese mainland’s answer to Twitter, earlier this month, generating nearly 300 million views.
“I support a gradual reopening up and this is also a major trend, but the premise is that the government should roll out timely public health education and give sufficient preparation time,” Chen said. “The current policy comes as a surprise, and many residents can’t react accordingly.”