China’s “zero Covid” policy is indeed a major outlier in the world’s approach to the pandemic. And outbreaks are met with lockdowns that can upend daily life for millions, as the city of Xi’an is learning (Xinhua, 1/10/22). ‘Iron-fist, authoritarian policies’The Times article by Li Yuan started off with some undeniable hardships, reflecting chaotic coordination of services. Last Friday, the city announced that no medical facility could reject patients on the basis of Covid tests. Instead, Chinese state media’s reporting on the pandemic in the US is, at least in this instance, fairer than the Times coverage of Xi’an.

Source: New York Times January 20, 2022 16:04 UTC