Haus Jakob

April 25, 2023 marks the 1st anniversary of the beginning of the 2022 Beijing Lockdown. The reason for the Lockdown was none other than the so-called “pandemic” of Covid-19. It all started in the morning of April 25, with some negligible-looking compulsory Covid-19 tests for all residents in some areas of Beijing. From the same evening onward, microrayons (the Soviet-style residential areas stuffed with apartment buildings) began to be put into lockdown bunch by bunch. From that day until early December 2022, being confined to a 40-square-metre apartment or transported to one of those concentration camps known as the “container hospital”, and having a compulsory Covid-19 test every day or two had become the unescapable fate for nearly all residents of Beijing as well as many other regions in mainland China.

Such harsh lockdown over a natural disease known to be mild was a huge insult to the light of reason. It also gave rise to the evil of socialism, as individual dignity and rationality were suppressed and had to give way to the empty concept of collectivism. As of this day one year later, although the Lockdown has been somewhat relaxed months earlier, some remnants of the Lockdown and quarantine have been well incorporated into the daily life in China. For example, a photo ID must now be forever connected to the card used to pay for public transport. Mask-wearing remains to be mandatory in some venues, and Communion on the tongue remains to be banned throughout the Archdiocese of Beijing.

During the Lockdown, I outlined six demands in protest against the Lockdown, as well as to provide some criteria for judging whether the Lockdown has truly been lifted. In this blog, I would like to reiterate what the six demands are and discuss whether each of them has been met as of this day.

1.) End the lockdown and all capacity limits.

🟡 Partially met

Although there are no longer any areas being put into lockdown, some venues (e.g. parish church) still have capacity limit and social distancing policies officially. Only such policies are usually not enforced as of now.

2.) End compulsory Covid tests.

🟢 Met

Since December 2022, Covid tests have no longer been mandatory. As of today, negative test results are not required upon entering any venue.

3.) Allow Covid positive individuals self-determining the manners of quarantine.

🟢 Met

From last December onward, there have no longer been anyone who are tested positive for Covid being transported to any concentration camps or confined to apartments.

4.) End the registration and health code check at all venues.

🟡 Partially met

As of this day, some venues still require registration officially. The health code system is still online, and some venues still have their health codes displayed at the entrance. However, both registration and health code check are usually not enforced today.

5.) End compulsory mask wearing.

🔴 Not met

As of today, mask-wearing is still mandatory in many venues, including parish church, and such mandates are usually harshly enforced.

6.) Forbid questioning the Covid vaccine status of any other individuals.

🔴 Not met

This demand paves the way to end the Covid vaccine mandates. If your Covid vaccine record cannot be questioned by your government, employer or school, they will no longer be able to mandate vaccination. However, this demand is currently not met, and Covid vaccination is still mandatory for many employees and school students in Beijing.