Originally Posted by narvik

To understand this, you simply need to use different verbiage: you need to use the words SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, NOT Omicron. From speaking with people here in Beijing, the difference of the variants has just not sunk in... AT ALL!
"Well, this worked before, so it has to work this time too. Why wouldn't it???"

Originally Posted by narvik

Well, I am [hopefully] catching a plane PKX-CAN and CAN-AKL tomorrow.
This is more-or-less in line with my original plans when I got here in November 2021....maybe a few weeks later (because of too much work).

I'd not want to stay here much longer though, right now.

Originally Posted by travelinmanS

In the meantime a lot of people I know are starting to have problems with food shortages. Both expats and locals. I am a prepper so I spent the week before the lockdown buying up cans of soup and pasta but many didn’t do the same, including Moondog, or thought it would only be 4 days.

The situation is going to rapidly deteriorate over the next week as far as food security as the government continues to try and kill all the sparrows in the trees.

Absolutely amazing that they have chosen to ruin a global city’s reputation for this zero Covid goal against omicron. I’m still astounded by it but I’ve quickly come to realize the harsh reality of living in China, despite 15 relatively pleasant years here. No wonder why so many want to immigrate to the west!

Another issue they are going to have is all these doctors, soldiers and nurses brought in from outside to “fight the virus war” are going to return to where they came from and spread omicron there. It really seems like the Chairman believes he can control nature by the force of his will…..

Originally Posted by STS-134

I was talking to one of my Chinese friends, who actually lives in Shanghai, about this. She agreed that they can send help into Shanghai from other areas (and probably for the first 2-3 cities that get hit really hard) but Omicron is so contagious, there's going to be a time when they cannot do this anymore because of simultaneous surges in many cities. At that point, it's game over. She says they're just stubbornly sticking to their old action plan until it basically falls apart.

Originally Posted by YariGuy

Nice Great Leap Forward reference.

I got out with my son but my wife remains behind, due to work. According to her obviously things aren't optimal but she's doing pretty well. But that may be due to the fact that I'm not there to annoy her. If I hadn't gotten out, I'd be going crazy by now. We had 6 days of lockdown before, and we could go downstairs and use the gym and tennis court, etc. and STILL I was going crazy (called the neighborhood committee party secretary and cussed her out).

Anyhow, your lockdown experience may differ, but I would say that should this go on any longer the angry, disobedient type is going to be becoming more and more prevalent.

So Moondog, it's really a tough call. I can see this lasting another week, but probably not much longer. So if you decide to leave now, be prepared to wait months to get back in (as I'm doing, quite voluntarily).