ロックダウン中の庶民の姿

　中国。無症状者3名の発覚だけでも100万都市を封鎖する、強力なゼロ・コロナ政策を実施中。
　それはそれである種の見識ではあろうが、エッセンシャル・ワーカーを除いて移動禁止となると―いかに当局がフリーフード・デリバリーをしようとも、まあ足りなくなるとかアレが欲しいとかコレが足りないとか…あるわけで。ついには物々交換経済が地道に展開してしまったそうな。

BBC China: Xi'an residents in lockdown trade goods for food amid shortage 4 Jan 2022

「People quarantined in the Chinese city of Xi'an are bartering supplies amid continuing worries over food shortages.

Social posts show locals swapping cigarettes and tech gadgets for food. About 13 million have been confined to their homes since 23 December.」

　…まあ、12/23からずっと封鎖とくれば、厳しいわな。

「Videos and photos on social media site Weibo showed people exchanging cigarettes for cabbage, dishwashing liquid for apples, and sanitary pads for a small pile of vegetables.

One video showed a resident appearing to trade his Nintendo Switch console for a packet of instant noodles and two steamed buns.」

　でまあ、キャベツとたばこを交換したり、リンゴと食器洗剤を交換したり―はてはニンテンドースイッチと即席めんやらパンやらを交換したり―。

「"Helpless citizens have arrived at the era of bartering - potatoes are exchanged for cotton swabs," one Weibo user said, while another described it as a "return to primitive society".」

　…まあ、隣人間の協力の美がありましたよと言う方が精神衛生的に良いかもしれず、少なくとも愛国的だと言うので市民ランクが上がることが期待できなくもない、のかも。

「Some were more optimistic though, and commented on how "touched" they were by their neighbours' kindness in sharing their supplies with them.」

　で。ロックダウン2つめ。

BBC Yuzhou: Second Chinese city forced into Covid lockdown 5 Jan 2022

「China has put a second city into total lockdown after just three asymptomatic Covid cases were discovered.

Yuzhou - which has a population of 1.1 million - saw its transport system shut down and all but essential food stores closed overnight.」

「It follows a similar lockdown in Xi'an, where 13 million have been confined to their homes since 23 December.」

「The carefully managed bubbles fit with China's "Covid-zero" policy, which has seen it focus on stamping out the virus rather than live with it over the past two years.」

「But while the strict lockdown appears to reducing case numbers, it has caused other issues. Social media posts show how residents have been forced to barter supplies amid worries over food shortages.」

　そういえば冬のオリンピックまであと一か月だとか。ゼロ・コロナ大前提！という状況だと、入国するひとたちも大変そうです。