Following a deadly fire in a residential building in China’s Xinjiang region — which many blame on COVID-19 lockdowns — Chinese protesters have taken to the streets to demand an end to stringent pandemic restrictions.
Even before the protests erupted, there were signs that President Xi Jinping’s administration was preparing to roll back the costly "COVID-zero" policy, though the exact timeline remains uncertain. But this process will be more complicated than many seem to realize.
China’s exit from COVID zero clearly carries public-health risks that must be managed, especially given low vaccination rates among the elderly. Less noticed, however, are the operational challenges this process raises.