China COVID update – China has locked down the beach resort city of Sanya

Sanya, in Hainan province, was in the headlines last week with partial shut-ins:

A full city-wide lockdown is now in place, ‘static management’ the new buzzwords from the bureaucrats in charge:

• cases there spiked to more than 200 on Friday
• movement will be restricted except for those who provide essential public services, and emergency work
• all public transportation will be suspended until further notice
• sales of railway tickets out of Sanya have been suspended

Danzhou, another city in Hainan, announced a partial lockdown starting Saturday.

Aside from this area cases rose more broadly in China last week. Given China’s ‘zero’ policy is still in place its not difficult to see further lockdowns ahead. China is doing what it thinks best to control outbreaks and preserve people’s health. There are costs to the domestic, and in turn the global, economy from the country’s approach to infection management. There is speculation (its been around for a long time) that China will abandon its ‘zero’ policy once leader Xi is re-elected at the Chinese Communist Party 20th National Congress later this year.