China’s zero-Covid policy ‘won’t work’ with omicron: Epidemiologist

China’s strict zero-Covid method gained’t have the ability to restrict the unfold of the extremely infectious omicron variant, based on a U.S. epidemiologist.

Beijing might not have the ability to use the identical “authoritarian approaches” towards omicron as a result of the variant is in contrast to the others, Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Middle for Infectious Illness Analysis and Coverage, mentioned on Friday.

“Attempting to cease omicron is type of like attempting to cease the wind,” he instructed CNBC’s “Squawk Field Asia.”

China is “uniquely in danger” to omicron, Osterholm mentioned, for a mix of causes: Early research counsel its Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines are “not very efficient” towards the variant, and on the identical time China’s success at stopping the unfold of Covid up to now means it has a really massive inhabitants that is still susceptible.

CNBC on Friday requested remark from China’s embassies in Washington, D.C., and Singapore, however had acquired no response on the time of this report’s publication.

China, which recorded its first omicron case in January, has doubled down on its zero-Covid technique, in distinction to the rising variety of international locations which have shifted to residing with the virus and lifting restrictions. A lot of these international locations use confirmed vaccines and have already skilled waves of an infection — two main ways in which populations set up antibodies to the virus.

Many countries initially took an aggressive method via mass lockdowns and strict social restrictions, however they steadily deserted that technique because the extremely infectious delta variant unfold shortly and lockdowns turned much less efficient.

Whereas Europe has quickly lifted restrictions, China might take a extra gradual method, mentioned Dale Fisher from the Nationwide College of Singapore’s Yong Bathroom Lin College of Drugs.

China has not began the “ceremony of passage” to let the “virus in and cope with the implications,” Fisher mentioned.

“I believe when China does resolve to maneuver, it is going to be a gradual … method, just like Singapore,” he instructed CNBC.

The Winter Olympics in Beijing, which began on Friday, has additional examined China’s zero-Covid technique, because the nation seeks to make sure the Video games run easily with out turning into a super-spreader occasion.

“I believe China can management Covid within the Winter Olympics, there’s clearly very strict guidelines,” mentioned Fisher, including that the athletes get examined day by day.

“Anybody that’s examined or anybody that’s constructive, and I’m certain the contacts, will probably be remoted and quarantined. It’s manageable they usually solely should do it for 2 weeks,” he added.

Disclosure: CNBC mum or dad NBCUniversal owns NBC Sports activities and NBC Olympics. NBC Olympics is the U.S. broadcast rights holder to all Summer time and Winter Video games via 2032.