50 TIME January 31/February 7, 2022
HOSTING THE OLYMPIC GAMES IS A DAUNTING CHALLENGE
during any year. Add a global pandemic, and the logistics of
welcoming the world’s athletes in while keeping the virus out
become complicated fast. But China believes its aggressive
stance against COVID-19 is up to the task. While the rest of
the world is struggling to keep up with the virus, China’s strat-
egy is to stay ahead of it. With its so-called “dynamic zero-
COVID-19” policy, health offi cials try to contain any new cases
by quickly testing, contact tracing, isolating and instituting
lockdowns that block the spread of the virus.
China’s plan for crushing COVID-19 during the Beijing
Olympics is just as draconian. If it works, the country’s ap-
proachproach could becomproach could becomcouldbecomee a leading exame a leading examaleadingexampleple of one way to learn to ple of one way to learn to ofonewaytolearnto
livelive with SARS-CoV-2: detecting new cases and extinguishing live with SARS-CoV-2: detecting new cases and extinguishing live with SARS-CoV-2: detecting new cases and extinguishing live with SARS-CoV-2: detecting new cases and extinguishing with ewcasesandextinguishing
themthemthem as quickly as possible. If it doesn’t, this year’s Olym as quickly as possible. If it doesn’t, this year’s Olym as quickly as possible. If it doesn’t, this year’s Olymiyear’sOlympicspics pics pics
could be a sobering lesson in the hubris of trying to keep up could be a sobering lesson in the hubris of trying to keep up could be a sobering lesson in the hubris of trying to keep up tokeepup
with a virus as adaptable as this one has proven to be.
China has used a “zero COVID” approach over the past two China has used a “zero COVID” approach over the past two China has used a “zero COVID” approach over the past two China has used a “zero COVID” approach over the past two China has used a “zero COVID” approach over the past two China has used a “zero COVID” approach over the past two China has used a “zero COVID” approach over the past two China has used a “zero COVID” approach over the past two asuseda zeroCOV o
yearsyears with imyears with imyears with imwithimpressivepressive results—pressive results—pressive results—results—eveneven at the expense of greatly even at the expense of greatly even at the expense of greatly atth
inconveniencinginconveniencing residents. A minconveniencing residents. A mresidents.Amonthonth before the Gamonth before the Gambeforeth es were es were
scheduledscheduled to start, governmtostart,governmentent offi cials issued restrictions for officialsissuedrestri
thethe 14 mthe 14 m 14 millionillion people living in the port city of Tianjin after a illion people living in the port city of Tianjin after a peoplelivingintheportcityofTianjina
clustercluster of 20 cases erupted. In the imof 20 caseserupted.Intheimmediatemediate area where the areawheret
infectionsinfections occurred, people were confi ned to their homoccurred,peoplewereconfinedtotheirhomes,es,
while in outlying areas, residents had to comply with restric-
tions like staying indoors (except for one person per house-
hold, who was allowed a food-shopping trip every other day)
or having to remain in their neighborhoods. On Jan. 17, after an
offi ce worker in Beijing tested positive with the new Omicron
variant, the entire building was abruptly locked down with
employees still inside. Government offi cials lugged in bed-
ding and food for the stranded workers, who will likely only
be allowed to leave once they test negative after a designated
period of time. The home of the offi ce worker who tested
positive was sealed off as well, and neighbors were tested.
While the measures seem extreme, they appear to work,
at least according to the latest government COVID-19 tallies,
which political and public health leaders have criticized for
downplaying the actual impact of the pandemic. If accurate,
China’s reported case numbers are “way, way,
way lower than what we have in the U.S.,” says
Jeremy Luban, a professor at the University of
Massachusetts Medical School. Currently, China
has reported just over 5,000 cases in the past
month, compared with more than 15 million in
the U.S. “The idea that we have taken in the U.S.
is to fl atten the curve so fewer people die. China’s
concept is even before that: don’t get a curve.”
China’s graph of new infections over the past
year is the complete opposite of that of the U.S.
While average cases in China peaked in February
2020 at just under 70,000 per month and then
steadily declined—with only a small blip due to
Omicron—theOmicron—the U.S. case count was stable at a rel-U. S.casecountwasstableatarel-
atively low rate over the sumatively low rate over the sumivelylowrateoverthesummermmer as mer as masmoreore people ore people people
becambecamamee vaccinated, but has clime vaccinated, but has climvaccinated,buthasclimbedbed steadily over bed steadily over steadilyover
the past few mthe past few mastfewmonthsonths because of Omonths because of OmbecauseofOmicron,icron, hitting icron, hitting hitting
a pandema pandemdemicic high in January 2022. ic high in January 2022. highinJanuary2022.
MMuch of China’s success in quashing SARS-uch of China’s success in quashing SARS-hofChina’ssuccessinquashingSARS-
CoV-2 can be traced to strict travel restrictions CoV-2 can be traced to strict travel restrictions nbetracedtostricttravelrestrictions
into the country and rigid quarantine rules that into the country and rigid quarantine rules that ountryandrigidquarantinerulesthat‘The bigger the bubble,
the more opportunity you have
for something to go wrong.’
—TARA—TARA KIRK SELL, JOHNS HOPKINS CENTER FOR HEALTH SECURITY—TARA KIRK SELL, JOHNS HOPKINS CENTER FOR HEALTH SECURITYKIRKSE PKINSCENTERFORHEALTHSECURITYBEIJING
2022A N
OLYMPIAN
TA S K
CHINESE OFFICIALS ARE BETTING ON A ZERO-COVID
POLICY TO SAVE THE GAMES. BUT EXPERTS HAVE DOUBTS
BY ALICE PARK