China: Shanghai suggests not leaving home at Christmas to avoid contagion by COVID-19

The eastern megalopolis China from Shanghai recommended today to its citizens not to leave their homes this weekend of Christmas “if not necessary” in the face of the rapid spread of covid-19 after the national government began to dismantle its zero tolerance strategy against coronavirus.

”Don’t go out on weekends if you don’t have to, hit the pause button for your social gatherings and be the first person responsible for your own health!”, asked the Health Promotion Office of Shanghai in a message echoed by the local news portal The Paper.

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The institution is especially aimed at young people because “they usually go out at night on weekends”, and asks them not to go to closed places with poor ventilation or crowded areas, since winter temperatures “facilitate the spread of infectious diseases”.

Fans watch the Qatar 2022 World Cup final football match between Argentina and France, at a bar in Shanghai on December 19, 2022. (Photo by Vivian LIN / AFP) (VIVIAN LIN /)

The message suggests “take advantage of” weekends for “clean the house” either “to rest” Y “improve the immune system”:“Have a cup of tea, read your favorite book and recharge your body and mind. Let’s learn to appreciate the quiet of the weekends”.

Although Christmas is not usually celebrated in China, it is common to see decorations, especially in shopping centers, which take advantage of the dates to try to attract more customers and boost sales.

In Shanghai, one of the most multicultural cities and with the largest foreign population in the country, some Christmas markets are held: the best-known, German-inspired, has been limiting its capacity in editions after the outbreak of the pandemic.

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In recent weeks, the Chinese authorities have withdrawn a large part of the draconian measures that made up their zero tolerance strategy against the coronavirus, ensuring that in this “new situation” the virus causes fewer deaths.

Travelers with protective equipment walk at the Shanghai train station, in Shanghai, China, on December 21, 2022. (Photo by EFE/EPA/ALEX PLAVEVSKI) (ALEX PLAVEVSKI/)

However, the end of the obligation to undergo routine PCR tests for the majority of the population has resulted in a significantly lower detection of cases, since those who are asymptomatic and those with mild symptoms have the green light from the authorities to do so. quarantine at home.

Although the authorities reported some 4,000 official cases today, the actual number of daily infections could have reached 37 million this week, according to the alleged minutes of a meeting of the National Health Commission echoed by Bloomberg, who also I would point out that, in the first 20 days of this month, some 248 million people -18% of the national population- contracted covid.

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In recent days, doubts have also arisen about the fidelity of the death data offered by the health authorities, which barely count a handful of them -none in the last 24 hours, according to the latest official report- due, according to an expert cited by the state press, to the fact that deaths caused by underlying diseases in patients who were infected with the coronavirus are not counted as covid deaths.

People sit in a makeshift fever clinic in front of the hospital, in Shanghai, China, on December 23, 2022. (Photo by EFE/EPA/ALEX PLAVEVSKI) (ALEX PLAVEVSKI/)

The World Health Organization was shown this week “very worried” due to the evolution of the covid in China and claimed “more information” in this regard, to which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded that Beijing has shared its data “openly, punctually and transparently” since the beginning of the pandemic.

Source: Elcomercio