Images expose reality of China’s Covid policy
New photographs have highlighted the ongoing psychological impact of China’s Covid policy on the country’s people.
The images, which are circulating online, show Police lurking outside a Shanghai restaurant as diners nervously watch their every move.
It appears the officers are about to enter and most likely sanction those who are disobeying the city’s Covid-19 restrictions, which still outlaw indoor dining.
One social media user commented that the images have “Jurassic Park vibes,” while another said it reminded him of “Guerrilla warfare”.
Cheating China’s Covid Policy
China’s strict Covid rules are said to have taken such a toll on residents that they’re now doing whatever they can to evade them without being caught.
There are unconfirmed reports that many restaurants are blocking out their windows to hide what is going on inside, or even hiring customers as employees for a few hours so that they can legally dine.
The reports are unconfirmed because extracting information out of the internet-controlled country remains difficult.
What is China’s Covid Policy?
On May 31, Chinese authorities lifted Shanghai’s strict lockdown, which had been in place for 65 days and, according to the BBC, “crippled the city and scarred its people.”
Shanghai residents had expressed shock over the “complete boarding up” of streets and were relieved to have their freedom finally restored.
But while the lockdown has been lifted, hundreds of thousands of residents remain confined to their homes as a result of strict close contact isolation rules, with residents now required to show a green health code on their phone to leave their homes and to enter most businesses.
Museums, gyms and Cinemas are still closed and there has yet to be a full return to face-to-face schooling.
Impact of China’s Covid Policy on the economy
Chinese shares have enjoyed a strong month, with investors again starting to look at once strong performing stocks.
But with the Chinese Government standing by its Covid-zero policy, there are many observers who think the China bulls have got it wrong.