Prof Cowling also noted that China “is not benefiting from the development of effective vaccines”. The country is struggling to increase in vaccination coverage in the elderlyespecially for boosters, and has relied heavily on homegrown shots.
‘Unemployment is rising’
Earlier this year, found a study in Hong Kong that two doses of Sinovac vaccine were 72p percent effective against severe or deadly Covid-19 for people over 60 — compared with 90 percent for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. After three doses, the effectiveness of Sinovac increased to 98 percent.
As it stands, residents of at least 50 cities are currently required to undergo PCR testing every 48 to 72 hours to meet strict new requirements. In Shanghai, residents queued in blistering heat on Tuesday for mandatory mass testing for Covid-19 as ongoing minor outbreaks fueled fears in a city still recovering from a painful two-month lockdown lifted a few weeks ago†
While China’s economy is expected to suffer, President Xi Jinping has bullish in his defense of the policy†
“It would be better to have a small temporary impact on economic development, rather than have the physical safety and health of the public suffer,” he said.
dr. Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, told The Telegraph that the economic ramifications are becoming apparent.
“We’re seeing unemployment rising, most small businesses are going bankrupt and sales are shrinking in many places [across China],” he said.
dr. Huang added that “many in the civil service and government officials are facing pay cuts” as a result of the various restrictions. He said Wugang’s main company, Wugang Iron & Steel Co., will experience an obvious “supply interruption”.
With a growing number of restrictions imposed, there appears to be “underlying public support for heavy-handed measures, especially in major cities,” Dr Huang added. But he warned that in much of the country “people don’t have access to alternative information”.
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