China Beat The Coronavirus, Not Just With Authoritarianism But With Science And Strong Public Health Measures
I live in a democracy. But as Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself longing for the type of freedom I am seeing in China.
One of the Wuhan train stations in fall 2020. The city reopened in April 2020 after a total shutdown. Liu Yan, CC BY-SA
People in China are able to move around freely right now. Many Americans may believe that the Chinese are able to enjoy this freedom because of China’s authoritarian regime. As a scholar of public health in China, I think the answers go beyond that.
My research suggests that the control of the virus in China is not the result of authoritarian policy, but of a national prioritization of health. China learned a tough lesson with SARS, the first coronavirus pandemic of the 21st century.
How China flattened its curve
Barely less than a year ago, a nove...