If you can, try to imagine late 2019 or early 2020, when masks were only worn by medical personnel and the words social distancing did not really exist.
The sheer difficulty of remembering the not so distant past shows how greatly Covid-19 has impacted our daily lives.
After it became the origin and initial epicenter for the global pandemic, the Chinese government has touted that it has won the battle against Covid-19. Although outside experts challenge the veracity of these claims, photos from China show that the people are trusting those words.
The first week of October is known as the ‘Golden Holiday Week’ in China. Combining their National Holiday on October 1st with the Mid-Autumn Festival – the Chinese equivalent to Thanksgiving week, most Chinese people take the entire week off to spend time with their families.
Because of its sheer size of land and population, the way back home has always been a nightmarish trip for many. However, shocking photos from China show thousands of people all gathered together in train and bus stations without socially distancing or even wearing masks.
Estimates for the total number of traveling that is to take place during this week long holiday is around 600 million according to Ctrip, a local booking platform. More than a 100 million passengers are expected to use the trains to either go home or travel elsewhere.
In fact, the Chinese government and its local branches are expecting a domestic travel boom during this week long holidays. While the idea sounds preposterous for everyone who currently resides in a country that is struggling with the virus, it does not seem to offend the Chinese.
Official reports of cases from the Chinese government claims that they have more or less eradicated the virus domestically. However, many have challenged these claims, with multiple countries reporting that they have screened Chinese visitors who tested positive for Covid-19.
This is not the first time that the Chinese are advertising to the world that they have placed the pandemic under control. A recent pool party that took place at a waterpark in Wuhan, where the virus was first reported, surprised and shocked many.
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Replaced!