Why China Is Still Stuck in a Zero-Covid Nightmare

After protesters in China took to the streets in defiance of the nation’s zero-Covid policy, officials responded this week by affirming their strategy but promising tweaks to “reduce inconvenience” to the public. But that’s likely not enough to placate people who have endured measures that extend beyond inconvenience and include harsh lockdowns, food shortages, and economic hardship.

Now, as China finds itself caught in the tangles of its once-praised policy, there’s no clear road back to normal. Zero-Covid is a point of national pride, and it has saved lives. According to the World Health Organization, China has recorded just over 30,000 deaths during the pandemic, whereas more than 1 million people have died in the US.

But China's combination of leaning too heavily on lockdowns and failing to protect its older population with widespread booster shots give the country no long-term solutions. If China were to open suddenly, experts say, high case rates would overwhelm the health care system. Containment measures have worked so well that citizens have close to no natural immunity, the kind briefly attained after people recover from infections. And while the nation’s initial vaccine rollout was swift, vaccinating 1 billion people in 10 months, older residents are less likely to be vaccinated or have a booster shot; just 40 percent over the age of 80 have been fully vaccinated and boosted, according to Chinese officials.