Report from the Inside—In China currently, how many people really have COVID?

Who the heck knows.
Sorry for the lack of stats.
But who in the heck knows.

What I do know is this… Within the first 10 or so days of the Party dropping its three year old Zero Covid policy here are a few things which have happened:

No more health code scanning at subways—finally, not even at my home station.

No more health code scanning to enter malls, not even the local grocery and fruit/veg market.

Supposedly, even the airport is no longer checking. I cannot stress enough how shockingly different this is for China in the pandemic age.

Just a month ago, a single Covid case in one’s neighborhood would have at the very least shut down an entire apartment building. Several months back, the entire neighborhood.

Now our protective bubble has burst. Most folks here up until about a week ago never personally knew anyone with Covid. Less than about 3% of the population had ever been infected.

Now??

As of today, every school in Shanghai is online as Covid takes down staff and students alike. At least 3 of the 7 colleagues in our office, including our immediate boss, are sick.

Our top two HR people are sick. At least 6 other teachers were sick, as of Friday. At least two high school students in a class of ten are sick.

Last week at least eight other students were sick.

My girlfriend Serena’s parents, brother, little niece, niece’s mother and grandmother—all positive with COVID.

As of this morning—Serena, too, has tested positive at home. Awaiting results from the more accurate PCR lab test. But she is sick.

Several other friends, neighbors,….infected.

Several businesses and restaurants in this mall are closed temporarily. Most likely due to reduced staff numbers.

Some couples out for dinner have a restaurant to themselves. I have this Japanese spot to myself.

If I had to guess the percentage of folks in Shanghai now infected, whether they realize it or not?

Has to be at least 30% right now. Very likely closer to 50%.

Disneyland is still open…