The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics kicked off last month while the omicron COVID-19 variant was rampant in China and the rest of the world. China¡¯s ¡°COVID zero¡± policy, with its strict restrictions on people¡¯s movements, has faced a critical test.
COVID-19 is extremely difficult to contain as it can spread through stealth transmission from those who are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic. Omicron is a distinctly more infectious strain than previous variants of concerns.
Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines from makers such as Sinovac and Sinopharm, regarded as key pillars in the country¡¯s strategy to stamp out the virus, have been found to be less effective than mRNA vaccines. This means that they cannot be fully relied upon to protect Chinese citizens¡¯ lives and health.
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