Winter Olympics: Zero coronavirus cases prestige issue for China

Chinese citizens are locked in a never-ending cycle of COVID testing and no news about condition is permitted to leave the lockdown as the Chinese authorities do not want to embarrass the leadership

Chinese citizens are locked in a never-ending cycle of COVID testing and no news about the resident's condition is permitted to leave the lockdown as the Chinese authorities do not want to embarrass the leadership in front of the world during the Winter Olympics in Beijing set to take place next month.

Residents are made to through tough times as they are facing food shortages, being forced to wait in testing lineups for hours in the snow and cold, losing pay, and being unable to interact with their family members, reported The Hong Kong Post.

All of this is done to guarantee that no Covid case disrupts the Games.

A giant anti-virus 'bubble' of this size has never been made anywhere prior to China however, this is causing great pain and suffering for the Chinese people.

This 'bubble' in the capital, Beijing, where the games are set to take place, is cut off from the rest of the city.

Only security and health authorities are seen in the capital city. Miles of metal barriers and guard posts have transformed the city into a metal maze that can only be navigated with an official Covid-safe permit, which is impossible to get for the average person, reported the newspaper.

Around 11,000 people from around the world will be staying inside the 'bubble' during the duration of the games, moving through three competition zones over 100 miles apart.

A Games participant, from arrival till final check out, will not make any contact with the general Chinese population. The participant will not even see an ordinary Chinese citizen during this period.

Moreover, several stadia, multiple conference centres, and over 70 hotels are part of the 'bubble'. It has its own transportation system. Over 4,000 vehicles will be on duty during the Games moving the people from place to place, reported the newspaper.

This massive 'bubble' and the strict protocols are a clear indication that the Chinese authorities do not want to face criticism from the world just like it did in December 2019 when China was held responsible for the global outbreak of the Coronavirus from its laboratory in Wuhan.