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Coronavirus China
ChinaScience
Josephine Ma
Josephine Ma

Opinion | China’s long-term future with Covid-19 will depend on accurate data

  • Temporary herd immunity has given Chinese health authorities time to prepare for the next wave, whenever that may be
  • A detailed vaccination and treatment path will be vital, but only if it is based on reliable information about Covid-related deaths

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The Lunar New Year celebrations in China did not bring a second Covid-19 wave, but long-term planning will be needed as part of living with the virus. Photo: AFP
Josephine Ma
The Beijing Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week declared that the Chinese capital’s population had reached temporary herd immunity from Covid-19, after a feared second wave did not occur after the Lunar New Year.

Beijing CDC deputy director Wang Quanyi said a serum survey will determine antibody levels among the city’s residents, to help formulate its response to further outbreaks.

This kind of survey is common after a wave of infectious illness, to assess the number of people affected and overall levels of immunity, but it is not the only information needed when preparing future policy.

Without reliable data on Covid-related deaths, it will be impossible to gauge the full impact of the outbreak or the effectiveness of vaccines and treatments.

While China has released data on deaths, severe cases and hospitalisations in the wake of mounting international pressure – including requests from the World Health Organization – many international experts doubt its accuracy.

They point to China’s definition of Covid-related deaths and the number of tests performed, as well as reports that doctors are discouraged from putting Covid-19 as the cause of death when a patient has other underlying illnesses.

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