The people of China are once again facing feelings of helplessness due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has plagued the country since its onset three years ago. The recent unidentified pneumonia outbreak is overwhelming hospitals and affecting many children. People are lining up for hours at hospitals hoping to be seen by doctors and the problem is now causing hospital shut downs and discouraging students from attending classes. This has raised concerns from health authorities around the world as the totalitarian regime in China appears to ignore the outbreak’s risks.
After abruptly abandoning the zero-COVID restrictions, the country is now in an on-again, off-again lockdown. Quarantining tens of millions of people would crumble healthcare systems and leave citizens without food and other basic necessities. More shocking was that during the course of the current outbreak, children are bearing the brunt of it, and many Chinese hospitals are seeing an average of 10,000 patients each day.
In response to the shortage of hospital visit numbers, many Chinese people line up in the middle of the night in hopes of receiving a placement number and are often turned away. The situation has led to mass line-ups at hospital gates, forcing patients to resort to makeshift IV stations. As the outbreak in China worsens, it’s crucial that the Chinese government be transparent with the treatment and cures for the pneumonia outbreak. This lack of full-disclosure has not gone unnoticed, leaving many to question the Chinese government’s actions. The severity of the situation has led to cries for help from Beijing and NEO officials. Statements like these from prominent officials are proof that the global community is losing faith in the responses of Beijing.