A cluster of covid-19 cases in China prompts a citywide lockdown

FOR MUCH of the pandemic, the lives of most people in China have remained relatively normal except for hassles caused by tough border controls. For the 13m residents of the western city of Xi’an, that changed on December 23rd 2021 when officials imposed one of the biggest lockdowns anywhere in the country since SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in the central city of Wuhan late in 2019. Four days later inhabitants were told to stay at home, and go out only to be tested for covid-19. No one may leave or enter Xi’an without approval.

The measures are in response to a tiny outbreak in the city involving, so far, a mere 810 people who have tested positive for the virus. But China has a “zero-covid” policy: any case is leapt upon, with harsh local lockdowns to make sure there is no spread. The authorities have not reported any infections involving the Omicron variant in Xi’an (they believe the outbreak began early in December with a case imported from Pakistan). Only a handful of cases of Omicron have been reported elsewhere in China. They must be nervous about it, however. The variant spreads faster than Delta, which has been the main variant detected recently in China. Omicron can evade the antibodies which the immune system produces in response to vaccination and infection. Officials are anxious to avoid any covid-related disruptions to the Winter Olympics, which are due to be held in and around Beijing in February.