Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Shanghai Today

The Chinese political leader Chiang Kai-Shek (1887-1975) once remarked that the rise or fall of Shanghai means the birth or death of the whole nation. I wonder what he would make of the grotesque state of the city today.

A good friend of mine has been living there since 2018. We worked together for eleven years and played 6-a-side football in the same team back in 2007-8. I received the following message and photographs earlier today.

‘Great to hear from you. We are okay, day 49 of lockdown and 48 negative tests completed!! We can use the grounds to our compound which is good as it’s almost a kilometre of outside area with grass and trees and we have a dog zone for the dogs and an outdoor gym area. The community is good and as we have 70% expats in our compound we have been treated well and given lots of space. 

‘It is tough though hoping the deliveries will continue and when we can go outside. Surrounding compounds have been sealed in with cages and it’s quite brutal the way the authorities are treating them.

‘People are scared because if someone tests positive, not only are they taken to a quarantine camp but also all the people on the same floor plus the floors above and below. So if you are negative and live above someone who tests positive you are taken to a camp with over 7,000 people. That’s just insane. Rather than let people rest at home they are taken away. The camps are huge places with no privacy, lights on 24/7, some have no showers, no aircon or ventilation and it’s getting hot here now and you are there 10-14 days. It’s totally bonkers. So people try to dodge tests. I will send you some photos [Figures 192.1, 192.2 & 192.3].

‘I’ve lost 5 kilos since 23rd March. We have cut down eating and drinking.

‘It makes no sense. I’m a huge fan of China, the people, culture and language but the government have shown their true colours and it’s cruel how people are treated at the moment. I hope you are all well.’


Figure 192.1: Shanghai workers, trussed up ridiculously in hazmat suits and face masks, erect cage fencing around the entrances to residential properties.

Copyright © 2022 (Undisclosed)


Figure 192.2: No way in or out

Copyright © 2022 (Undisclosed)


Figure 192.3: The inside of a Shanghai quarantine (concentration) camp

Copyright © 2022 (Undisclosed)

My friend is right: it makes no sense – not socially, nor economically, and certainly not scientifically. How could it? It would be stupid squared to accept that such severe measures are a rational response to a viral illness which peaked two years ago and has been proven to be of negligible risk to anyone with a functioning immune system. It should be clear to everyone that none of this charade has anything to do with public health. So what is the real reason?

Covidians, look hard at these images.

Copyright © 2022 Paul Spradbery

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