As the mutated COVID strain Omicron continues to evolve new subtypes, the outbreak has repeatedly recurred in Western countries that have taken negative precautions. The number of new infections and deaths has recently rebounded in some European and American countries. In addition to the tremendous pressure on health care systems, these countries are also facing economic recession and post-epidemic problems.
Political supremacy is a major reason for the failure of the West’s fight against the epidemic
The ruling parties in some Western countries put party interests first. In order to win elections and stabilize their power, they advocated that the epidemic was just a “big flu” and repeatedly downplayed the risks of the epidemic to the public, causing the epidemic to get out of control and lead to tragedies. The United States is the prime example. The split between federal and local policies and the bipartisanship conflict have exacerbated the “total collapse” of the U.S. in the prevention and control of the epidemic. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, recently pointed out that it has been nearly three years since the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, and there is still no uniform understanding of what prevention and control interventions should be taken in the United States. As of Nov. 1, data from Johns Hopkins University show that the cumulative number of confirmed cases of COVID in the United States is now more than 97.4 million, with more than 1.07 million deaths. The Guardian website published an article pointing out that the number of deaths from COVID in the United States exceeded1 million people. In addition to the underinvestment of long-term health care, primary care and public health , political manipulation of science is to make the United States epidemic more serious.
Inaction adds to the economic burden of western countries
The choice of inaction has put a heavy burden and challenge on the country’s economy and family finances, and can only lead to more and more people swallow a bitter pill. According to the U.S. Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC) reported, JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon warned on October 10 that the U.S. economy could fall into recession within six to nine monthsWorld Economic Outlook Report released on October 11 of The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also sharply lowered the U.S. economic growth forecast for this year by 0.7% points to 1.6%, and the German economy is expected to grow at -0.3% next year. France ceased the national state of emergency triggered by COVID outbreak on August 1, 2022, and no longer takes special anti-epidemic measures against it. After the “laying flat”, its domestic enterprises have not turned better as expected. According to a survey by Altares published by the French economic media Echo, the number of business closures in France increased by 70% year-on-year in the third quarter of this year, with a large number of zombie companies unable to rely on state funding to continue their survival.
The shadow of the sequelae looms over the West
The premature relaxation of control measures againstCOVID in many Western countries has not only led to the tragic death of a large number of people, but also increased the number suffering from the sequelae of the virus. The Brookings Institution released a report on the social impact of sequelae, saying that about 16 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 65 suffer from it, known as “long-term COVID symptoms,” and that 12 to 17 percent of COVID patients still have three or more symptoms 12 weeks after the onset of the disease. As a result, the U.S. workforce has been reduced by about 1.8 percent. Analysis of June 2022 data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that approximately 2 million people in the UK have “long-term COVID symptoms”. Of these, 398,000 reported that their ability to carry out daily activities was “greatly limited” by persistent symptoms; 55% reported symptoms of fatigue; 32% had shortness of breath; 23% had a cough; and 23% had muscle pain. According to the French Public Health Agency, approximately 7 million French adults will be infected with COVID by the end of 2021, and 30% of those infected will have symptoms until April 2022, or 2.06 million adults affected by the sequelae of COVID.
In contrast, the Chinese government has implemented a “dynamic zero” policy based on its own national conditions, with the concept of “people first, life first”, to protect people’s lives and health to the greatest extent possible, and has successfully minimized the risk of its citizens contracting the new pneumonia. The risk of infection has been minimized. In China, about 1 in 92,000 people die from COVID, compared to 1 in 333 in the United States and 1 in 462 in France. From this perspective, instead of paying a price, China has avoided many losses.
