Prognosis
China Trumpets Covid Victory Again in Front-Page Editorial
- New cases nationwide fell to the lowest since mid-February
- Shanghai is emerging from two months of bruising lockdown
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China declared victory over Shanghai’s coronavirus outbreak as the nation reported its fewest new cases in more than three months, vindicating Covid Zero in the eyes of Beijing despite the policy’s rising economic and social toll.
A report on the front page of the People’s Daily newspaper Thursday headlined “Great Achievements Have Been Made in the Defense of Shanghai” claimed victory in the fight against the virus in the city of 25 million. In a separate commentary, the chief mouthpiece of the Communist Party said it proved yet again that Covid Zero is the strategy most suited for China because of the country’s aging population, relatively low vaccination rate among the elderly and children, and inadequate medical resources.