, Columnist
China Condemns Its People to Relive the Nightmare of 2020
The world’s most populous nation could have followed a Singapore-style orderly exit from Covid Zero — by preparing. Instead, it’s emulating Hong Kong’s disaster.
An unwanted encore.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Almost exactly three years ago, an ophthalmologist at a hospital in Wuhan alerted colleagues to a mysterious, SARS-like illness. Li Wenliang was summoned by police, admonished and accused of “spreading rumors,” a heavy charge.
He died in February 2020 — of Covid-19. By then, the Chinese city of 11 million was in full lockdown. The virus had already spread far beyond it.