Videos reveal a grim Covid situation in China

New Delhi

Disturbing images of authorities imposing the lockdown and the people revolting against the curbs on their movement, due to the spread of a new variant of Covid-19 in Shanghai,  China's industrial district, posted on social media, point to the severity of the resurgent pandemic in China. It seems China's Covid policy is turning upseide down as its residents are not only revolting but defying the draconian quarantine rule.

Videos as shared by Manya Koetse, a sinologist, Japanologist, an online media monitor, and editor-in-chief for what's on Weibo, on Twitter are heart-wrenching as we see health workers beating the locals and forcing them into quarantine. Manya Koetse has lived in Beijing, Kyoto, and Singapore, and has graduated in China and Japanese Studies (Leiden University, Peking University), Literary Studies (University of Amsterdam, NUS), and completed her Research Master in Asian Studies (Chinese track, with a focus on Sino Japanese relations)

The below video shared by Manya on Twitter shows mayhem in the Nanhui covid19 quarantine center as people fight over basic resources.

Videos surfacing on Chinese social media today show chaotic scenes from the Nanhui covid19 quarantine location, where people were fighting over resources. pic.twitter.com/BZTDMBmb7F

— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) April 4, 2022

Worth noting that videos such as these have not been pulled offline today (yet), at least not on Weibo. pic.twitter.com/WXuNBCm7UV

— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) April 4, 2022

Along with food shortage, food wastage is also the new norm in China's Shanghai

Another lockdown day for Shanghai, another issue angering people online. Today, more videos are circulating on Douyin & Wechat of vegetables and other food going to waste because the logistics are apparently failing. pic.twitter.com/2kWryiaYIC

— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) April 5, 2022

It's just such a waste that meat and veggies are becoming inedible because the process is too slow.. pic.twitter.com/jVvVnl3yL4

— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) April 5, 2022

.. ending up in the trash instead of on the table. pic.twitter.com/CBK0Yo3kX6

— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) April 5, 2022

A resident of Shanghai can be seen defying the 'mask up' rule as a result of which the police arrested him, the video went viral on Chinese social media.

This maskless, smoking guy in Shanghai seemed to be on a mission for trouble amidst epidemic panic and he ended up going viral on Chinese social media today. pic.twitter.com/fSMCubhCOX

— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) April 1, 2022

A similar fate awaited an elderly person roaming maskless. The defiance clearly shows the frustration among locals and their willingness to go against the government.

Here's another maskless one, not sure what exactly happened but that sharp cut to the scene just showing their legs in the bushes was pretty dramatic 😅 pic.twitter.com/YxRdulTw7F

— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) April 3, 2022

Even the infants are being separated from their parents and put in quarantine, though later an advisory was issued where parents were allowed to accompany the young ones in the quarantine centers.

Photos and a video allegedly showing a 'baby quarantine site' in Shanghai where kids with Covid are being kept without their parents went viral on Chinese social media on Friday, also see this video posted by @ChuYang_Journ: https://t.co/EhXCFk2Fdm pic.twitter.com/93lCI102g3

— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) April 2, 2022

While many countries have lifted restrictions of covid related norms, China struggles with a rush of new waves.