As COVID cases rise in China, people stock up on drugs, home medical equipment

Photo for representation. AFP

New Delhi: Ever since China scrapped its zero-covid policy, the population is witnessing a massive surge in infections. The fear among people is making them stock up on medicines and home medical equipment.

According to a report in South China Morning Post, people are buying drugs through the black market, or even taking antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription.

The report also says that the medical scarcities have also been a boon for middlemen who can source generic drugs from India.

China faces bumpy road to normal as infections surge

China is on a bumpy road back to normal life as people return to schools, shopping malls and restaurants following the abrupt end of some of the world’s most severe restrictions even as hospitals are swamped with feverish, wheezing COVID-19 patients.

“Many are still watching because they are afraid of being infected,” Li said. “Dining out can be put off for now.”

The ruling Communist Party began to drop testing, quarantine and other restrictions in November as it tries to reverse a deepening economic slump.

The “zero COVID” strategy confined millions of families to their homes for weeks at a time, shut down most travel into and out of China, and emptied bustling streets in major cities. That kept its infection rate low but crushed economic growth and fueled protests.

The ruling party is shifting toward joining the United States and other governments in trying to live with the disease instead of stamping out transmission. It has launched a campaign to vaccinate elderly people, which experts say is needed to prevent a public health crisis.

Members of the public expressed unease about the wave of infections but welcomed the change in strategy.

“I‘m definitely a little worried, but for the sake of living, you have to be able to work normally, right?” said Yue Hongzhu, 40, a supermarket manager.

“Since the government has allowed opening up, that means it is not so terrible, right?” Yue said. “If the virus were highly infectious and everyone’s life were in danger, the government wouldn’t let go.”

On Tuesday, the government announced it would relax restrictions on travel out of China and resume issuing passports for tourist travel for the first time in nearly three years. That sets up a possible flood of Chinese travelers going abroad at a time when other governments are alarmed by the rise in infections.

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