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I actually think China’s done an admirable job containing this virus. I think what they’ve done will probably work to stop the spread. The most interesting par

I actually think China’s done an admirable job containing this virus. I think what they’ve done will probably work to stop the spread. The most interesting part of this whole episode is the Orwellian efficiency communist China can control their population at will.

Numberwang 7y ago
You are breathtakingly uninformed about what goes on in China.
fsh 7y ago
Pretty much any country has some form of martial law. For example, the US very quickly shut down one of their largest cities and all air travel in the country on 9/11.
- gruez 7y ago
  >For example, the US very quickly shut down one of their largest cities and all air travel in the country on 9/11. Locking down an entire city (cities?) is much more severe than shutting down commercial flights.
- closeparen 7y ago
  The FAA already had discretionary authority over US airspace. Saying “no” to everything all at once was unusual, but didn’t exercise any new power. Martial law is more like “sudo” for the executive branch, letting it do what would not otherwise be legal.
RealityVoid 7y ago
>> The most interesting part of this whole episode is the Orwellian efficiency communist China can control their population at will. Say what you will about authoritarian societies, but one of their advantages is the ability to impose a direction to their population. There are certain situations this can prove very useful.
- zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC 7y ago
  ... or fatal if the direction is bad. And as authoritarianism tends to coincide with corruption, chances are the direction is bad quite often.
- caycep 7y ago
  I don't know...a (competently run) FEMA could probably quarantine a US state relatively efficiently. Once the "disaster" mindset kicks in, things happen relatively efficiently as the motivation is there. Recognizing it is a disaster is another thing...was the CCP late on this part of the Wuhan outbreak? Orwellian efficiency may be countered by Orwellian denial of problems...
smallgovt 7y ago
I'd be interested in seeing those who are downvoting this comment refute its claims instead.
- abc-xyz 7y ago
  Quote from another HN thread comment (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22137131 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22137131): > I was born and raised in Wuhan. My father and a few friends are still in Wuhan, one of the friend is a nurse. Here's what they told me: > * The hospitals in Wuhan are at absolute maximum capacity. they are lumping any fever cases (e.g. flu) patients with potential coronavirus patients in the same room. > * People with mild symptoms are sent home due to capacity, they are instructed to be quarantined at home unless symptoms get worse > * Despite reports, surgical masks are completely sold out in China, my dad is asking me to send him 3M (the brand) masks from abroad. > * Even hospitals are low on surgical masks for staff. Each nurse is given one or two masks per day, but per regulation, they needed to replace the mask every 3 hours. > * A wider scale locked down went in to effect in Wuhan this morning, forbidding anybody from entering or leaving on any roads, rail, water or flight. > * Domestic news are filled with non-sense, top 3 news today are praising Xi's CNY speech, which has exactly zero word mentioning the pandemic or Wuhan. > * This coronavirus is potentially deadlier than SARS. Most of the 25 deaths are from the original 47 cases that was reported a few weeks ago. Compilation of various footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv_ScEYMQ0s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv_ScEYMQ0s of people collapsing on the streets and a doctor freaking out. [Nurse estimating 90.000 infected](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQflXs0jZ9w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQflXs0jZ9w), scolding the government, giving advice how to stay safe and encouraging people to donate disposable masks, goggles and clothes. [Nurse estimating 100.000 infected](https://www.reddit.com/r/China/comments/etnc6g/hear_it_urself/ https://www.reddit.com/r/China/comments/etnc6g/hear_it_ursel...), the 10 doctors at her hospital treating more than 100 infected people per day, scolding government for false promises and lack of support, warning people not to trust anything the government says. FYI, I've known a few nurses in Asian countries, including China, and it's extremely common for them to build a close relationship. I know in Thailand they're required to learn the names of all their seniors and form a bond with them, and will often have large group chats with former classmates and coworkers. A nurse I know in Thailand told me that she would no doubt know what the situation was like at her hospital (number of patients, workload of doctors, medical supplies), and she still keep touch with over a hundred different nurses working at other hospitals and nurseries, from whom she would be able to gather similar information. I imagine the situation is the same in China, and when we see two nurses (with Wuhan accents) give similar estimates, then I'd no doubt trust those numbers more than those of the government, especially considering the significant amount of videos of people collapsing and lying dead on the ground, as well as the fact that the government has expanded the lockdown to 56 million people, and shut down 70.000 cinemas all over the country. The government spent several weeks suppressing critical information and arresting those who tried to warn others. Even now information is still being censored and people in China are not taking necessary precautions to protect themselves.
bouncycastle 7y ago
Although one aspect that it's very hard to get true information for the citizens. You'd also need to be very good at doublethink, I would assume many are not, and thus we see mass panic & chaos on the streets.

Numberwang 7y ago

You are breathtakingly uninformed about what goes on in China.

fsh 7y ago

Pretty much any country has some form of martial law. For example, the US very quickly shut down one of their largest cities and all air travel in the country on 9/11.

gruez 7y ago
>For example, the US very quickly shut down one of their largest cities and all air travel in the country on 9/11. Locking down an entire city (cities?) is much more severe than shutting down commercial flights.
closeparen 7y ago
The FAA already had discretionary authority over US airspace. Saying “no” to everything all at once was unusual, but didn’t exercise any new power. Martial law is more like “sudo” for the executive branch, letting it do what would not otherwise be legal.

RealityVoid 7y ago

>> The most interesting part of this whole episode is the Orwellian efficiency communist China can control their population at will. Say what you will about authoritarian societies, but one of their advantages is the ability to impose a direction to their population. There are certain situations this can prove very useful.

zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC 7y ago
... or fatal if the direction is bad. And as authoritarianism tends to coincide with corruption, chances are the direction is bad quite often.
caycep 7y ago
I don't know...a (competently run) FEMA could probably quarantine a US state relatively efficiently. Once the "disaster" mindset kicks in, things happen relatively efficiently as the motivation is there. Recognizing it is a disaster is another thing...was the CCP late on this part of the Wuhan outbreak? Orwellian efficiency may be countered by Orwellian denial of problems...

smallgovt 7y ago

I'd be interested in seeing those who are downvoting this comment refute its claims instead.

abc-xyz 7y ago
Quote from another HN thread comment (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22137131 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22137131): > I was born and raised in Wuhan. My father and a few friends are still in Wuhan, one of the friend is a nurse. Here's what they told me: > * The hospitals in Wuhan are at absolute maximum capacity. they are lumping any fever cases (e.g. flu) patients with potential coronavirus patients in the same room. > * People with mild symptoms are sent home due to capacity, they are instructed to be quarantined at home unless symptoms get worse > * Despite reports, surgical masks are completely sold out in China, my dad is asking me to send him 3M (the brand) masks from abroad. > * Even hospitals are low on surgical masks for staff. Each nurse is given one or two masks per day, but per regulation, they needed to replace the mask every 3 hours. > * A wider scale locked down went in to effect in Wuhan this morning, forbidding anybody from entering or leaving on any roads, rail, water or flight. > * Domestic news are filled with non-sense, top 3 news today are praising Xi's CNY speech, which has exactly zero word mentioning the pandemic or Wuhan. > * This coronavirus is potentially deadlier than SARS. Most of the 25 deaths are from the original 47 cases that was reported a few weeks ago. Compilation of various footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv_ScEYMQ0s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv_ScEYMQ0s of people collapsing on the streets and a doctor freaking out. [Nurse estimating 90.000 infected](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQflXs0jZ9w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQflXs0jZ9w), scolding the government, giving advice how to stay safe and encouraging people to donate disposable masks, goggles and clothes. [Nurse estimating 100.000 infected](https://www.reddit.com/r/China/comments/etnc6g/hear_it_urself/ https://www.reddit.com/r/China/comments/etnc6g/hear_it_ursel...), the 10 doctors at her hospital treating more than 100 infected people per day, scolding government for false promises and lack of support, warning people not to trust anything the government says. FYI, I've known a few nurses in Asian countries, including China, and it's extremely common for them to build a close relationship. I know in Thailand they're required to learn the names of all their seniors and form a bond with them, and will often have large group chats with former classmates and coworkers. A nurse I know in Thailand told me that she would no doubt know what the situation was like at her hospital (number of patients, workload of doctors, medical supplies), and she still keep touch with over a hundred different nurses working at other hospitals and nurseries, from whom she would be able to gather similar information. I imagine the situation is the same in China, and when we see two nurses (with Wuhan accents) give similar estimates, then I'd no doubt trust those numbers more than those of the government, especially considering the significant amount of videos of people collapsing and lying dead on the ground, as well as the fact that the government has expanded the lockdown to 56 million people, and shut down 70.000 cinemas all over the country. The government spent several weeks suppressing critical information and arresting those who tried to warn others. Even now information is still being censored and people in China are not taking necessary precautions to protect themselves.

bouncycastle 7y ago

Although one aspect that it's very hard to get true information for the citizens. You'd also need to be very good at doublethink, I would assume many are not, and thus we see mass panic & chaos on the streets.