I agree, this is over extrapolating. There was no opportunity for them to not get to this point really unless COVID had gone away at this stage. It strikes me

I agree, this is over extrapolating. There was no opportunity for them to not get to this point really unless COVID had gone away at this stage. It strikes me this is a face saving exercise at this point but they can also use it to stress test supply chains, stress test a general emergency situation, stress test their surveillance. Not much downside for an authoritarian regime. To assume they have hidden knowledge on long term dangers doesn't fit the observations IMO. Really, my guess is that the whole thing from the start is a facing saving exercise because of an accident in a culture obsessed with saving face.