Supermarket shelves have been left empty and essential medical items are in short supply as China experiences a surge in panic buying after scaling down its draconian zero-COVID policy.
The strict zero-COVID policy – which has been in place since the start of the pandemic in 2020 – was eased last week after a rare cascade of protests against the approach broke out.
Stream more world news live & on demand with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2023People across the country have flocked to supermarkets in droves to buy ibuprofen, cold medicines and COVID testing kits which are now in short supply.The mad rush for tinned peaches prompted one of the country’s largest canned food manufacturers to clarify the remedy doesn’t equate to medicine.
People have rushed to buy medicines and other supplies, leading to critical shortages. Picture: AP Photo/Dake Kang The government has largely downplayed the pressure on the country’s medical system and touted ICU capacity in hospitals, which they claim has doubled in the past month.The nurse claimed hospitals in Beijing were inundated with mild cases of COVID-19 and warned of a shortage of doctors and nurses.
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