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The New Year is welcomed in Hong Kong – with a mask
Photo: TYRONE SIU / REUTERS
Chinese around the world welcomed the new year according to the traditional lunar calendar.
The Year of the Rabbit follows the Year of the Tiger.
In Chinese mythology, the fourth of the twelve signs of the zodiac stands for harmony and longevity, among other things.
In China, the turn of the year took place on Sunday night (local time).
It is the first New Year since the communist government in Beijing lifted the strict corona measures.
Millions of families can get together in person this weekend for the first time in three years.
Most Chinese celebrate the beginning of the New Year with lavish dinners while watching the annual New Year's Gala on state television.
The authorities expected almost two billion passenger trips during the 40-day travel season, which corresponds to around 70 percent of the travel volume before the pandemic.
But despite the festive mood in the country, the New Year celebrations are once again overshadowed by the pandemic.
While the corona situation in the large metropolises such as Beijing and Shanghai has largely returned to normal after a rapid wave of infections in December, the endurance test in the hinterland provinces is still to come.
In comparison, the healthcare system there is only rudimentarily developed, and hospitals with modern equipment are often several hours' drive away.
At the same time, rural areas are mostly populated by older population groups who have so far only had inadequate vaccination protection in China: According to Chinese state media, a quarter of those over 60 are still not boosted.
The London-based research institute Airfinity expects that the current corona wave could peak in the coming week with up to 36,000 deaths per day.
Such forecasts are in stark contrast to official statements by the Chinese state media, which downplay the dramatic situation.
Vice Premier Sun Chunlan said on Friday, according to Xinhua, that the number of serious Covid patients in the emergency rooms is steadily decreasing.
At the same time, the 72-year-old emphasized that the medical staff at the municipal level had to be strengthened and that the supply of medicines in rural areas had to be ensured.
An official with the National Health Commission also claimed this week that the number of critically ill patients in hospitals is now well below the Jan. 5 peak.
But international experts remain skeptical, after all, the official information can hardly be checked.
This is also due to the increasing lack of transparency in government agencies.
The authorities recently launched a month-long censorship campaign to crack down on “dark emotions” and “rumors” about the coronavirus situation on social media.
Obviously, we don't want negative headlines to dampen Chinese people's festive mood as they welcome the Year of the Rabbit this weekend.
dop/dpa