China and Covid19
Growing Discontent on Chinese Social Media over Harsh Measures: “Why Can’t China Ease Covid Restrictions?”
Some say this year is not 2022 but “2020too”, suggesting that everything has gone back to the initial stage of the Covid outbreak.
Published
3 years agoon
As China is seeing its biggest surge in Covid cases since 2020, official media channels are emphasizing the need to stick to China’s zero-covid approach. But many on social media are increasingly dissatisfied with the harsh measures and wonder if this is still the best way forward.
As Omicron is spreading throughout mainland China, mass testing, strict quarantine rules, and lockdowns have become part of daily life again. As discontent about the lockdowns has recently been growing on Chinese social media, the hashtag “Why Can’t China Lift Safety Measure Just Like Foreign Countries?” (#中国为什么不能像国外一样取消防疫措施#) is top trending on social media platform Weibo, where it had received over 490 million views on Wednesday.
The hashtag was initiated by Chinese economic news outlet National Business Daily (每日经济新闻) in light of a recent CCTV interview with renowned epidemiologist Liang Wannian (梁万年), a strong advocate of China’s dynamic zero-Covid strategy and the leader of China’s Covid-19 expert panel. A fragment of the interview went viral on Chinese social media, receiving over 140,000 likes on Weibo alone.
In the interview, Liang responded to a question about many foreign countries recently easing Covid safety measures or removing them altogether, posing a stark contrast to China where new local outbreaks – China reported 37,000 cases this month – are met with an ongoing pursuit of ‘zero Covid.’ How much longer can China keep up its strategy?
According to Liang, protection of the people comes first for China, epitomized by Xi Jinping’s now-famous “put people and their life first” slogan (“人民至上,生命至上”). Unlike some other countries, China has not chosen for a strategy where restrictions are removed and Covid is no longer seen as a critical threat to society. Protecting the people is more important than a so-called ‘herd immunity,’ Liang says. If the virus would run its course, people would suffer – especially the elderly and the vulnerable. Instead, China is sticking to its strict measures and meanwhile is increasing its vaccination rates and winning more time for more research and development of Covid-19 treatment.
Liang’s comments, which emphasize that China’s current strategy is the best choice for the people and the country, send out a different message than the remarks recently made by Jiang Rongmeng (蒋荣猛). Jiang, vice-president of Beijing’s Ditan Hospital, said in an interview that Omicron infections were milder than a common flu and “more like a cold.” That interview later seemed to be censored on social media, with some people questioning China’s strict measures for the outbreak of something “like a cold.”
Although many people on Chinese social media are fully supporting China’s zero-Covid approach, the discussions triggered by the “Why Can’t China Lift Safety Measure Just Like Foreign Countries?” hashtag are also heavily controlled. Over the past months, China’s Covid policy has seen more online criticism.
Shifting Online Sentiments
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan in late 2019, China’s success in controlling the spread of the virus has been praised by many. The cost of keeping Covid-19 cases close to ‘zero’ was met with a lot of understanding and approval from netizens, such as when the city of Chengdu entered ‘wartime mode’ in December of 2020 after seven domestic Covid-19 were detected; or when eleven million residents of Shijiazhuang were banned from leaving the city and had to undergo tests in January of 2021; or when Shanghai Disneyland closed its doors in November of 2021 and 34,000 visitors needed to be tested after a single Covid case among the public, and so on.
But by late December of 2021 and early January of this year, online sentiments seemed to shift as the country saw an increase in local outbreaks while authorities still tried to wipe out all traces of Covid-19, especially in light of the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Online criticism of China’s extreme efforts to contain Covid-19 also came earlier, in November of 2021, when a pet dog was killed by epidemic prevention workers in the city of Shangrao while its owners were being quarantined. People were outraged and blamed the Shangrao government for its seemingly indifferent response to the incident.
The strict lockdown in the city of Xi’an, beginning on December 22nd of 2021, triggered anger and disbelief online over the way in which local authorities were managing the Covid-19 outbreak and the lockdown itself. Many residents dealt with food shortages, some were forced to leave their homes for quarantine in the middle of the night, and others dealt with the consequences of a lack of an efficient and speedy response to people’s need for urgent medical care.
After one pregnant woman suffered a miscarriage in front of the hospital gate – she was not allowed to enter due to nucleic acid test procedures – the public’s anger reached a boiling point. Although the hospital in question later apologized, the anger did not subside. “Are we really fighting this epidemic to save lives?,” one popular blogger wrote at the time.
When another pet dog was beaten to death by health workers in early March of 2022 in the city of Huizhou, many were outraged that such an incident could happen again: “This epidemic has been going on for several years, why does this keep happening? First Shangrao, now Huizhou. It’s heartbreaking.”
Shortly after the Huizhou dog incident, footage showing chaotic scenes at the Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital circulated online. The hospital was sealed after a patient tested positive for Covid. Nurses who allegedly felt they were not given enough protective measures to treat Covid-19 patients were still forced to work, leading to actual physical altercations between medical workers. One post about the incident received over 143,000 likes on Weibo, with some calling the incident “shameless.”
It seems that the Canton Fair Complex was definitely not the place you’d want to be at last Friday, as everyone got stuck there and needed to get tested after one or more visitors were suspected of having covid (red qr code). pic.twitter.com/mm97JFNJFs
— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) March 14, 2022
On March 11, thousands of people got stuck at the China International Beauty Expo (CIBE) in the Canton Fair Complex (广交会展馆), and needed to get tested after a member of staff tested positive for Covid. After videos showed a mass of people in one of the halls, more netizens were openly questioning if this is the right way forward for China’s Covid approach.
China’s ‘2020too’
As mainland China is now facing its worst Covid-19 outbreak since the height of the pandemic in 2020, people in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and other affected regions are again facing tough restrictions in light of the battle against the virus.
One Weibo user recommended Shanghai residents to keep a “go bag” at hand with a toothbrush, an extra pair of underwear and socks, and some small blankets or sleeping bags just in case they get stuck at work or elsewhere due to the Covid measures – one Zhengzhou woman was recently quarantined inside a hotpot restaurant for three days.
Due to the increase in temporary, local lockdowns, some on WeChat and Weibo have dubbed this year as China’s “2020too” – a wordplay on the English pronunciation of “2022” -, saying that it sometimes feels as if everything has gone back to the initial stage of the Covid outbreak back in 2020. “I find it so hard to believe that the 2022 I was looking forward to has turned into another 2020 [2020too],” one Weibo user writes.
A social media post by a Shanghai resident who tested positive for Covid-19 has also triggered discussions regarding China’s Covid-19 approach. In the lengthy post titled “A Shanghai Resident’s Covid Records” (“一个上海居民的新冠记录”), the Weibo user nicknamed ‘Hemuch’ described the utter chaos and inconvenience of staying at a central quarantine location for a few days.
‘Hemuch’ tested positive for Covid19 during a community test round on March 18. Although they did have a fever that day, it was gone the next day. When Hemuch tested positive again on the 19th, they were bombarded with calls from various health workers regarding quarantine but did not receive clear information on where they were going or what they needed to prepare. On the morning of the 20th, they were eventually transferred to quarantine at a local hospital together with other people who tested positive. ‘Hemuch’ describes how on the 23rd of March, after four days, not a single doctor or nurse has come to check on the patients: no tests, no temperature checking, no medication. A 90-year-old patient suffering from high blood pressure who stayed in the same room allegedly also did not receive proper care nor her prescribed drugs. The Shanghai resident further writes that their mother, who also had to be isolated, was sent to another hospital where there were no beds – she spent the first night on the floor in the hallway.
The social media post triggered many questions. Why were asymptomatic patients sent to a hospital where not only they were not receiving care, but actually were worse off than in their own home? Why were people with no symptoms, or minor ones, taking up the hospital beds of people who actually need life-saving care? “Can we alleviate the pressure of this ‘social epidemic’?”, ‘Hemuch’ wondered.
Another person responded to the post (update: now censored): “Medical resources are being wasted. Other patients can’t normally see a doctor. Healthcare workers are exhausted. Entire neighborhoods where people are not testing positive are locked down for days. So many people are losing their jobs because shops are closed.”
“This epidemic is turning people crazy, really! One policy hasn’t even become clear before the next policy is issued, new policies keep getting introduced and are updated all the time!” Another commenter asks: “How many years have passed? What’s the difference between now and 2020?”
United in the Fight Against Covid19?
The growing discontent on Chinese social media is being met with increased efforts by state media and official channels to promote China’s Covid strategy and ease existing concerns. Expert views from Liang Wannian or renowned doctor Zhang Wenhong (张文宏) are specifically pushed forward by Chinese media, emphasizing that the potential death toll of relaxing Covid measures would be too high and that China cannot afford to “lie flat” (“躺平”) and let the virus run its course.
Weibo as a platform is also actively promoting a positive attitude regarding China’s fight against the virus and is updating posts directly related to concerns about local Covid measures.
One example is the post below by a Shanghai resident, where the author describes that they are in a locked-down compound and cannot get an ambulance for their father who needed urgent care. Weibo later added a sticky bar to the post with an update saying that the father, albeit hours later, was finally admitted to a local hospital.
While calls for easing existing measures are growing, there are also many netizens who still strongly support China’s Covid-19 approach.
“I don’t understand why you would want to remove the epidemic measures? Open it all open, ignore everything and just live with virus, are you kidding me? The only reason why you think that Covid19 is not serious or Omicron isn’t scary at all is because of the existing measures,” one popular Weibo blogger writes (@柠檬王同学): “It would be a mess if we’d let go of the measures. The mortality of Covid might be low, but who knows how many after-effects it will bring? Isolate, isolate, isolate – not because it is good for you but because it’s good for everyone.”
Another sentiment expressed by many is that there is no universal approach to the pandemic, but that every country needs to figure out its own way of dealing with the Covid crisis – and that China is tackling the epidemic situation in the way that suits China best.
Since there seems to be growing polarization between those who support China’s strict anti-Covid measures and those who think the measures should be eased, various commenters jokingly suggest the following solution: “Why don’t we lock up the people who don’t support a lifting of the lockdown measures together, so that the people who support an end to the lockdown can resume their regular life?”
Others think that, even if the restrictions would be eased and measures would be lifted, there is still a long road ahead: “The epidemic situation, the air crash, the war, international relations …… after three years of experiencing all these things, people’s emotions are reaching a boundary point. I can imagine that once all of this is over, there is still a long psychological and spiritual struggle waiting for us.”
By Manya Koetse
With contributions by Miranda Barnes
Featured image via Weibo.
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Manya is the founder and editor-in-chief of What's on Weibo, offering independent analysis of social trends, online media, and digital culture in China for over a decade. Subscribe to gain access to content, including the Weibo Watch newsletter, which provides deeper insights into the China trends that matter. More about Manya at manyakoetse.com or follow on X.
China and Covid19
Weibo Watch: Small Earthquakes in Wuhan
How Wuhan is shaking off its past with a new wave of innovation, the hot topics to know, and the Weibo catchphrase of the week: ‘the Three Questions of Patriotism.’
Published
3 months agoon
September 27, 2024PREMIUM NEWSLETTER | ISSUE #37
Dear Reader,
“Wuhan Earthquake” (#武汉地震#) momentarily became the number one trending topic on Weibo this Friday night, after residents of Jiangxia District reported feeling their homes and buildings shake. “Was there an earthquake, or am I drunk?” some wondered.
I also felt a bit tipsy in Wuhan this month. Neon signs, dancing livestreamers, flying drones, bustling night markets, and holographic lights. On my first night in Wuhan, the lights made me dizzy and I discovered that the city was nothing like I had imagined.
Until now, I couldn’t help but associate Wuhan with the wet market, crowded fever clinics, and China’s first Covid hospitals. As the world watched the pandemic unfold in 2020, Wuhan became instantly famous as an early epicenter of the Covid-19 crisis. It became known as the quarantined city, the city of Dr. Li Wenliang, and the city of the “invincible Wuhan man.” At the time, it seemed like such a monumental event that Wuhan would not recover anytime soon, even after enduring the worst peak of Covid.
Now, over four years later, everything feels different. I felt a rush of energy as I strolled through the lively streets. It was evident that Wuhan is much more than the city that gained global notoriety as the pandemic hotspot. Beyond its vibrant atmosphere, it is making international headlines for its leadership in autonomous driving, having emerged as the world’s largest testing ground for self-driving cars, particularly in unmanned ride-hailing services.
Baidu’s Apollo Go, referred to as Luobo Kuaipao (萝卜快跑) in Chinese, is the driving force behind the robotaxi revolution in Wuhan. Since their arrival earlier this year, they have become a hot topic on Chinese social media, and I was eager to experience it for myself.
(Brief explainer: Luóbo (萝卜) means radish or turnip in Chinese, but when pronounced, it sounds similar to “robo.” Kuàipǎo (快跑) translates to “run fast.” Combined, it creates a playful name that can be interpreted as “Radish Runs Fast” or “Robo Go.” I’ll use ‘Luobo’ here, as it is the most common way to refer to Apollo Go in China and has a cute sound.)
In the areas where the robotaxis operate, people already seem to have become accustomed to the driverless ‘Luobo.’ During a 1.5-hour ride in the unmanned taxi—I took a long journey and then needed to return again—I was surprised to see so many of them on the road. Other drivers, motorcyclists, and passengers didn’t even bat an eye anymore when encountering the new AI taxi.
Currently, there is an active fleet of 400 cars in Wuhan, and Baidu plans to expand this to 1,000 in the fourth quarter of this year. Although these taxis still comprise only a fraction of the city’s entire taxi industry, their impact is noticeable on the roads, where you will inevitably encounter them. I stood at one drop-off point near an urban shopping center for at least forty minutes and witnessed passengers being dropped off continually, with some proceeding their journeys into areas where Luobo doesn’t operate by calling the ride-hailing service Didi from there.
As for the experience itself, it was thrilling to see the steering wheel move with no driver in the front seat. I was surprised at how quickly I adapted to something so unfamiliar. It’s incredibly comfortable to have a car to yourself—no driver, no worries—while you choose your own music (and sing along), set the air conditioning, and relax as the Luobo navigates the traffic.
Even inside the vehicle, Baidu emphasizes the safety of their self-driving cars, providing information about how Apollo Go has accumulated over 100 million kilometers of autonomous driving testing without any major accidents, thanks to a strict safety management system.
If you close your eyes, the experience feels like riding with a regular driver. Luobo speeds up, slows down, and occasionally makes unexpected maneuvers when a car or bike suddenly approaches. It ensures there’s enough space between itself and the car in front. While I can’t say that merging onto the highway or encountering unexpected traffic situations didn’t feel a bit scary, I soon felt at ease and came to rely on the technology.
That said, there are still bumps in the road. Luobo has often been ridiculed on Chinese social media for getting stuck at a green light, stopping for a garbage bag, or struggling to make a U-turn. While riding and observing the robotaxis in Wuhan, I noticed plenty of honking and road rage as Luobo chooses safety first, often appearing sluggish, earning them the nickname ‘Sháo Luóbo’ (勺萝卜/苕萝卜, “silly radish”).
While Luobo might still have its silly moments, it is a serious part of the future. Already, it is popular among commuters for its low cost, privacy, and convenience.
After spending an entire morning riding and watching the Luobos, I excitedly felt like I had experienced a glimpse of the future. Right now, Luobo Kuaipao operates in various cities across China, including Beijing, but it’s still in the testing phase there—none of my friends from Beijing have ever seen or taken one yet. However, this will likely change soon, heavily relying on policy support.
That night, I spoke to a young local in a busy commercial area near my hotel. Like many residents, he was curious about where I came from and what I was doing in Wuhan. (During the four days I spent there, I noticed very few foreign tourists.) We briefly discussed the pandemic; he reflected on the difficulties it brought but treated it as something from the past—just another bump in the road in the city’s long history.
Instead of dwelling on the pandemic, our conversation focused on the future: Wuhan’s robotaxis, his confidence in China’s technology, and the rising importance of his country on the geopolitical stage. He was just one of several young people I spoke to, from shopkeepers to students, who seemed very focused on China’s growth and development and how its technological advancements reflect its position in a world where the U.S. is no longer leading.
When it comes to China’s driverless innovations, they are shaking the foundations of transportation like an earthquake. Besides Apollo Go, companies like Pony.ai (小马智行), WeRide (文远知行), SAIC Motor (上汽集团), AutoX (安途), FAW (一汽), Changan Automobile (长安汽车), BYD (比亚迪), Yutong (宇通), and many other industry players are also working to realize driverless passenger cars, shuttle services, freight trucks, delivery vehicles, public transport buses, and much more.
What we’re witnessing in Wuhan is merely a glimpse into a future under construction, actively promoted by Chinese state media. Over the past week alone, CCTV featured Luobo Kuaipao in three segments as a key example of China’s new technological advancements and the national strategy to build a strong tech-driven economy.
As I left Wuhan in a traditional taxi, I suddenly felt like a time traveler. Wuhan was the birthplace of the 1911 revolution and will also appear in foreign history books as the initial epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, it is at the center of an international robotaxi revolution, and it won’t be the same the next time I return.
While my friendly elderly driver—I estimated him to be in his late 50s—honked at other cars, I realized he had witnessed many other revolutions, including the Cultural Revolution as a young boy, the economic reforms, and the major social changes of the 1980s, as well as the digital revolution of the 2000s. With the growth of Wuhan’s robotaxi fleet, his job might be affected, adding another tremor to his city and his life—though he may already be retired by then.
As he helped me with my luggage and wished me a safe trip home at the Wuhan Hankou Station, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic about how everything always changes and gets shaken up as we move forward into a future driven by technology.
As for Friday’s earthquake in Wuhan—it turns out it was a 1.6. Despite the online interest in the topic, it means virtually nothing in a city where things of much greater magnitude are happening.
If you’d like to know more about my experiences and the slight setback I encountered while searching for Wuhan’s robotaxis, check out the short videos I made here:
Part 1 (also on Instagram)
Part 2 (also on Instagram).
Best,
Manya Koetse
(@manyapan)
What To Know
🚀 China’s First Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Test-Launch Since 1980
On the morning of September 25, China announced a successful test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) carrying a ‘dummy warhead’ into the Pacific Ocean. This marked the first ICBM launch in decades, described by official media as part of routine annual training.
The People’s Daily Weibo account of the Communist Party shared a video of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) announcing the successful test launch, accompanied by suspenseful and patriotic music, specifically the “March of the Steel Torrent” (钢铁洪流进行曲) (see video). This launch quickly became a trending topic (#我军向太平洋发射洲际弹道导弹#). While Chinese state media claimed that Beijing informed relevant countries in advance, Japan stated that it did not receive any prior notice, further heightening tensions between China and Japan.
🇯🇵 Aftermath of Japanese Schoolboy Stabbing
The incident in which a Chinese man fatally stabbed a ten-year-old Japanese schoolboy near the Shenzhen Japanese School on September 18 has become a widely discussed topic this month. The attacker, a 44-year-old Chinese national, was immediately arrested. However, discussions about the stabbing are ongoing, as it has sparked a wave of anger in Japan, where critics argue that anti-Japanese sentiments in China are fueled by official media and national education.
Meanwhile, China and Japan have effectively resolved their diplomatic dispute regarding the Fukushima water discharge, with some suggesting a connection between the two events. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning (毛宁) stated on September 20 that the issues are not related (#中日共识与日本男童遇袭无关#). Beyond the geopolitical implications, the international media coverage of the stabbing incident has also provoked anger on Chinese social media, where many netizens reject the supposed negative portrayal of China. The topic is quite sensitive and continues to face significant censorship online.
📱 Huawei Trifold Phone
The launch of Huawei’s ‘trifold’ phone earlier this month generated significant excitement in China, with many believing that Huawei—and, by extension, China—is now at the forefront of innovation in the folding screen smartphone race. The Mate XT is the first triple-folding screen phone, leading some top commenters to proclaim, “Huawei’s innovation capability is truly the best in the world. While other manufacturers are still researching foldable phones, Huawei has already released the trifold.”
During my travels in China over the past few weeks, I visited several Huawei stores, but unfortunately, the trifold was never on display; it’s available only by reservation and has allegedly garnered millions of pre-orders, despite its hefty price tag of CNY 19,999 (USD 2,850). There’s also been some lighthearted banter surrounding the phone, including a viral post that humorously depicts what it looks like when you make a phone call with the screen unfolded (it looks ridiculous), and a user who taped two phones together to create a sixfold.
👴 Retirement Age Discussions
News came out last week that China will raise its retirement age for the first time since the 1950s. China’s current retirement ages are among the world’s lowest. Facing an aging society and declining birth rates, the ages will now be increased in a step-by-step implementation process: 50 to 55 for women in blue-collar jobs, 55 to 58 for females in white-collar jobs, and 60 to 63 for male workers.
This change, set to take effect on January 1, 2025, has already sparked considerable discussion this year after experts proposed the adjustment. A related hashtag has garnered over 870 million views on Weibo (#延迟法定退休年龄改革#), where many users expressed their dissatisfaction with the change. “Great, I’ll get to retire in September of 2051 now,” one young worker wrote. “We start studying earlier and retire later; how can we keep up with this?”
📷 Hidden Hotel Cameras
After a Chinese blogger known as “Shadows Don’t Lie” (@影子不会说谎) recently discovered and exposed hidden cameras in the rooms of two guesthouses in Shijiazhuang, he faced significant intimidation and threats from the owners and employees, who accused him of staging the situation for attention.
However, the situation turned out to be real, and local police arrested multiple suspects responsible for installing these cameras inside these hotel rooms, which are often rented by young couples for romantic short stays. The suspects reportedly did not know the guesthouse owners and had secretly set up the cameras to profit illegally. This incident, which continues to generate discussion online, has heightened public concern over privacy protection and the integrity of the guesthouse industry, particularly as this is not the first time such issues have been revealed.
Weibo Word of the Week
The Three Questions of Patriotism
Our Weibo word of the week is 爱国三问 (àiguó sān wèn), which translates to “The Three Questions of Patriotism.” This phrase has recently gained attention on Chinese social media as it was highlighted and propagated by official media channels.
The three questions are:
1. Are you Chinese? (你是中国人吗)
2. Do you love China? (你爱中国吗)
3. Do you wish China well? (你愿意中国好吗)
These questions were originally posed in 1935 by Zhang Boling (张伯苓), the first president of the renowned Nankai University (南开大学) in Tianjin.
Today, they are being revived on Chinese social media through various videos released by official channels.
One notable video is part of a new online series produced by state media titled “Great Educators” (大教育家), which features reenactments of speeches by prominent Chinese educators. In this series, Zhang Boling’s speech, portrayed by actor Wang Ban (王斑), emphasizes the importance of unity in tumultuous times.
Rather than dwelling on differences, Zhang urged people to recognize their shared identity: they are all Chinese, they love China, and they all aspire for the country’s prosperity.
Another video features Nankai University’s current president, Chen Yulu (陈雨露), addressing students during a large event on September 21st. In his speech, Chen reiterates the three famous questions, prompting the hundreds of students in attendance to respond enthusiastically: “We are [Chinese]!” “We love [China]!” “We wish [China well]! We want China to be strong and prosperous!” This response is followed by enthusiastic applause.
Additionally, another video from the same day features a meeting between Chen Yulu and an AI version of Zhang Boling, digitally resurrected to address the students and celebrate the start of the new school year. During this ‘virtual dialogue,’ Chen informs Zhang that his ‘Three Questions of Patriotism’ have become a cherished tradition at Nankai’s annual opening ceremony.
According to Chinese state media, the students’ responses to these three questions illustrate how contemporary Chinese youth are aligning their personal aspirations with national progress. This alignment is seen as a revival of the patriotic spirit that Zhang Boling instilled in students during wartime. However, the current ‘revival’ of this sentiment appears to be largely reflected across various official channels, with limited engagement from ordinary netizens.
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China and Covid19
Sick Kids, Worried Parents, Overcrowded Hospitals: China’s Peak Flu Season on the Way
“Besides Mycoplasma infections, cases include influenza, Covid-19, Norovirus, and Adenovirus. Heading straight to the hospital could mean entering a cesspool of viruses.”
Published
1 year agoon
November 22, 2023In the early morning of November 21, parents are already queuing up at Xi’an Children’s Hospital with their sons and daughters. It’s not even the line for a doctor’s appointment, but rather for the removal of IV needles.
The scene was captured in a recent video, only one among many videos and images that have been making their rounds on Chinese social media these days (#凌晨的儿童医院拔针也要排队#).
One photo shows a bulletin board at a local hospital warning parents that over 700 patients are waiting in line, estimating a waiting time of more than 13 hours to see a doctor.
Another image shows children doing their homework while hooked up on an IV.
Recent discussions on Chinese social media platforms have highlighted a notable surge in flu cases. The ongoing flu season is particularly impacting children, with multiple viruses concurrently circulating and contributing to a high incidence of respiratory infections.
Among the prevalent respiratory infections affecting children are Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, influenza, and Adenovirus infection.
The spike in flu cases has resulted in overcrowded children’s hospitals in Beijing and other Chinese cities. Parents sometimes have to wait in line for hours to get an appointment or pick up medication.
According to one reporter at Haibao News (海报新闻), there were so many patients at the Children’s Hospital of Capital Institute of Pediatrics (首都儿科研究所) on November 21st that the outpatient desk stopped accepting new patients by the afternoon. Meanwhile, 628 people were waiting in line to see a doctor at the emergency department.
Reflecting on the past few years, the current flu season marks China’s first ‘normal’ flu peak season since the outbreak of Covid-19 in late 2019 / early 2020 and the end of its stringent zero-Covid policies in December 2022. Compared to many other countries, wearing masks was also commonplace for much longer following the relaxation of Covid policies.
Hu Xijin, the well-known political commentator, noted on Weibo that this year’s flu season seems to be far worse than that of the years before. He also shared that his own granddaughter was suffering from a 40 degrees fever.
“We’re all running a fever in our home. But I didn’t dare to go to the hospital today, although I want my child to go to the hospital tomorrow. I heard waiting times are up to five hours now,” one Weibo user wrote.
“Half of the kids in my child’s class are sick now. The hospital is overflowing with people,” another person commented.
One mother described how her 7-year-old child had been running a fever for eight days already. Seeking medical attention on the first day, the initial diagnosis was a cold. As the fever persisted, daily visits to the hospital ensued, involving multiple hours for IV fluid administration.
While this account stems from a single Weibo post within a fever-advice community, it highlights a broader trend: many parents swiftly resort to hospital visits at the first signs of flu or fever. Several factors contribute to this, including a lack of General Practitioners in China, making hospitals the primary choice for medical consultations also in non-urgent cases.
There is also a strong belief in the efficacy of IV infusion therapy, whether fluid-based or containing medication, as the quickest path to recovery. Multiple factors contribute to the widespread and sometimes irrational use of IV infusions in China. Some clinics are profit-driven and see IV infusions as a way to make more money. Widespread expectations among Chinese patients that IV infusions will make them feel better also play a role, along with some physicians’ lacking knowledge of IV therapy or their uncertainty to distinguish bacterial from viral infections (read more here)
To prevent an overwhelming influx of patients to hospitals, Chinese state media, citing specialists, advise parents to seek medical attention at the hospital only for sick infants under three months old displaying clear signs of fever (with or without cough). For older children, it is recommended to consult a doctor if a high fever persists for 3 to 5 days or if there is a deterioration in respiratory symptoms. Children dealing with fever and (mild) respiratory symptoms can otherwise recover at home.
One Weibo blogger (@奶霸知道) warned parents that taking their child straight to the hospital on the first day of them getting sick could actually be a bad idea. They write:
“(..) pediatric departments are already packed with patients, and it’s not just Mycoplasma infections anymore. Cases include influenza, Covid-19, Norovirus, and Adenovirus. And then, of course, those with bad luck are cross-infected with multiple viruses at the same time, leading to endless cycles. Therefore, if your child experiences mild coughing or a slight fever, consider observing at home first. Heading straight to the hospital could mean entering a cesspool of viruses.”
The hashtag for “fever” saw over 350 million clicks on Weibo within one day on November 22.
Meanwhile, there are also other ongoing discussions on Weibo surrounding the current flu season. One topic revolves around whether children should continue doing their homework while receiving IV fluids in the hospital. Some hospitals have designated special desks and study areas for children.
Although some commenters commend the hospitals for being so considerate, others also remind the parents not to pressure their kids too much and to let them rest when they are not feeling well.
Opinions vary: although some on Chinese social media say it's very thoughtful for hospitals to set up areas where kids can study and read, others blame parents for pressuring their kids to do homework at the hospital instead of resting when not feeling well. pic.twitter.com/gnQD9tFW2c
— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) November 22, 2023
By Manya Koetse, with contributions from Miranda Barnes
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Mike
March 24, 2022 at 1:14 am
Great article, thanks Manya. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out, especially as some countries have moved on and the impact this has on local peoples’ psyches.
Pax Politica
March 25, 2022 at 5:03 am
My daughter enrolled in a Uni in China, she has been studying online from Indonesia for close to a year. Looking at how strict China is, we loose hope of it allowing International students to enter China next semester and has decided to find alternative country to transfer to. It is sad that we have to start over (finding a country she can experience) but we have wasted a year waiting for China to open up.
Wang
March 25, 2022 at 7:07 pm
There are two facets of China’s Zero COVID policy that the CCP will not mention: the ineffective Chinese vaccines and China’s under-resourced, poorly organized healthcare system. Outbreaks in China will cause more severe disease and overwhelm hospitals simply because the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines do not produce the level of immune response found with mRNA vaccines. The CCP had an opportunity to rectify this, since Pfizer has given Fosun Pharm a license to produce its mRNA vaccine in China. But the CCP will not allow this, in order to save face. While China cannot quickly address its inadequate healthcare system, there are measures the CCP can take to mitigate the pandemic in China – allow production of the BioNTech/Pfizer mRNA vaccine in China and start inoculating citizens. However, the CCP will never allow this, as they would then have to admit that China’s vaccines are inferior.