March 21, the Shanghai lockdown was gradually lifted. I've been playing basketball in a gym twice a week since March 23. First two weeks, folks were mildly nervous, one guy wore a mask for 3 weeks.
I haven't worn a mask for 6 months (except for one bus ride, a handful of subway trips and visits to my friends at the hospital -- as all of those gov't entities require masks).
It's telling that some of you can't even imagine a country eliminating transmission and being virus free. As I've said since the pandemic started, we know how respiratory viruses spread, so stopping transmission isn't that difficult. Fairly strict lockdowns -- curtailing movement and interactions with others -- combined with mask wearing and contact tracing can stop viral transmission. Not just reduce, but stop.
In Shanghai, restaurants and bars are filled, crowds on the streets. Still roughly 25% of the people wear masks to be safe and careful. There's still a lot of vigilance. Hospitals test every patient for CV; doctors and nurses get tested every 3 months or so.
If there were virus spreading in Shanghai?China, all the full restaurants, bars, crowded streets, low mask usage, basketball and other sports would result in a huge outbreak. Hasn't happened. Because domestic viral transmission was eliminated.
As for US returnees from China/Europe?
I probably would have double quarantined them.
10 days in a guarded hotel before letting them on planes. Another 10 days after arriving in the US. You just don't allow movement from a virus hotspot to your country. You play it extra safe, and test them depending how good and available the tests were back then.
No one answered my question on which is preferable:
1) a strong two month lockdown with all business closed except food, medical and public transport followed by a 2 month gradual reopening -- life back to normal, economy fully open thereafter with few deaths and illnesses
or
2) economic disruption and high death and illness toll for 10 months and still ongoing?
Poll
5 (45.5%)