THOSE WITH NO INTEREST IN THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE:

So far, there have been 2,500 coronavirus deaths in the megalopolis where the epidemic started. But in the past week, only one new infection was reported in Wuhan. On Wednesday, 63 days after the lockdown, all 171 bus lines were back in operation. From Saturday, March 28, onward, six of seven subway lines will be running according to the normal timetable.

Train travel to Wuhan is soon to be up and running as well. So migrant workers who were with their families elsewhere when the lockdown was announced will be able to come back to their jobs.

China has introduced a national health code system, which assesses individuals according to basic health information and travel history. Many Chinese citizens have been issued QR codes, which store information about their identity and their phone number as well as basic health information and travel history. Before taking public transport, people now have to scan their codes.

Despite these precautionary measures, many Chinese are skeptical. "Even the generation of retirees who were once so loyal to the party don't believe this nonsense," said one Wuhan blogger. "China is trying to prove to the West that it now has zero infections. But it is no more than a slogan."

The US-based Chinese blogger and biochemist Fang Zhouzi has also slammed the official data from Beijing. He said on Twitter that "nobody should believe the local authorities, who are lying about the statistics for the sake of the economy." He said that only when the postponed National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference took place again would he believe that the epidemic had really come to an end. For, he said, "the life of the people is not as valuable as that of those who represent the people."

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