Covid Restrictions Tighten as Record Number of Chinese Cities Report Cases

A record number of Chinese cities reported Covid cases during the National Day holiday, prompting a new round of restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of the virus to other parts of the country, especially Beijing, which is gearing up for the Communist Party’s five-yearly political meeting.

The restrictions, including quarantine, lockdowns and measures aimed at discouraging travel, have fueled public debate about the sustainability of the country’s “zero-Covid” policy, which has helped keep China’s Covid death toll lower than many countries, though at immense economic and social cost.