COVID-19 is rapidly spreading through Chinese households and offices after the country’s pandemic rules were unexpectedly unwound last week, sparking confusion on the ground as ill-prepared hospitals struggle to deal with a surge in cases.
Despite pleas from state media and health experts for people to self-medicate and recover at home, many citizens — fearful of the virus after three years of propaganda that painted the virus as dangerous — are flocking to hospitals. Some facilities are struggling to find enough staff and others are suspending non-COVID treatments as health care workers say they’re scrambling to meet demand for care following China’s "zero-COVID" pivot.
Scenes of disruption are easily visible in Beijing, where anecdotal evidence suggest the caseload is many times the government’s tally of 1,133 for Sunday. Long lines have formed outside of hospitals and people are struggling to find medicine, while delivery services have been interrupted as couriers become sick. State media is urging people not to call the capital’s emergency medical hotline unless they are severely ill, cautioning that an influx of requests for help is preventing those in critical need of assistance from getting through.