Population movements in China on the occasion of the Lunar New Year could worsen the already complicated epidemic situation. Chinese President Xi Jinping said he was “concerned” about the situation in the countryside. Authorities expect more than two billion trips between January 7 and February 15. The Year of the Rabbit begins on January 22.
The arrival in rural areas, which are sometimes medical deserts, of tens of millions of Chinese from cities, where the Covid-19 has infected the vast majority of inhabitants, should cause an increase in cases. Since January 7, some 480 million trips have been made (+47.1% compared to the same period last year), according to the government.
Difficult conditions to care
In a series of video calls on Wednesday with nursing staff, a Covid patient or even workers, Xi Jinping expressed his concern for the campaigns. “I am particularly concerned about rural areas and our farmer friends, of whom there are many,” he said, according to the Xinhua news agency. “The conditions for access to quality medical care in rural areas are relatively limited, epidemic prevention and control measures are difficult to implement there and the task is therefore difficult. »
If the cities benefit from modern medical infrastructures, the situation is much more uncertain in the rural areas. Xi Jinping thus called for resolving the “gaps” in the fight against Covid in the countryside.