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| A ‘Blue Great Wall’ Divides a City as It Battles the Coronavirus | A ‘Blue Great Wall’ Divides a City as It Battles the Coronavirus |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| They call it the “Blue Great Wall.” | They call it the “Blue Great Wall.” |
| The cobalt-hued metal sheets sprang up just weeks ago across Tianjin, a port city of over 15 million people in northeastern China. They crisscrossed streets and alleyways. They cut off businesses from their customers. They separated neighbor from neighbor. | The cobalt-hued metal sheets sprang up just weeks ago across Tianjin, a port city of over 15 million people in northeastern China. They crisscrossed streets and alleyways. They cut off businesses from their customers. They separated neighbor from neighbor. |
| “From this day forward,” read the signs affixed to many of them, “this residential community will be managed in a closed-off way.” | “From this day forward,” read the signs affixed to many of them, “this residential community will be managed in a closed-off way.” |
| Barriers of all kinds have sprung up across China. The country is battling the outbreak of a disease called Covid-19, which has killed more than 3,000 people and sickened tens of thousands more. It is caused by a new coronavirus, so named for the spiky protrusions that cover its microscopic surface. | Barriers of all kinds have sprung up across China. The country is battling the outbreak of a disease called Covid-19, which has killed more than 3,000 people and sickened tens of thousands more. It is caused by a new coronavirus, so named for the spiky protrusions that cover its microscopic surface. |
| To stop the coronavirus from spreading further, the Chinese government is thinking up new ways to separate its people. Traveling between many of its cities has ground to a virtual halt, freezing large swaths of the world’s second-largest economy. | To stop the coronavirus from spreading further, the Chinese government is thinking up new ways to separate its people. Traveling between many of its cities has ground to a virtual halt, freezing large swaths of the world’s second-largest economy. |
| The Chinese Communist Party has spent decades pressuring and cajoling a historically fractious nation of 1.4 billion people to see China as a united country. Now, it is keeping them apart. | The Chinese Communist Party has spent decades pressuring and cajoling a historically fractious nation of 1.4 billion people to see China as a united country. Now, it is keeping them apart. |
| Barriers have risen up at the neighborhood level, too. Guards now surround many residential complexes. In some places, only one member of a household can leave home at a time to go grocery shopping or just get a breath of fresh air. | Barriers have risen up at the neighborhood level, too. Guards now surround many residential complexes. In some places, only one member of a household can leave home at a time to go grocery shopping or just get a breath of fresh air. |
| Some places, like Tianjin, have erected walls around entire neighborhoods. Officials in those places have discovered that metal sheets, the type typically used to keep people from wandering onto construction sites, make handy walls. | Some places, like Tianjin, have erected walls around entire neighborhoods. Officials in those places have discovered that metal sheets, the type typically used to keep people from wandering onto construction sites, make handy walls. |
| China has plenty of those types of sheets lying around. For years, the country has turbocharged its economic growth by building. Office complexes, highways, airports, shopping malls, steel mills — some barely used — stand as monuments to a single-minded devotion to growth. | China has plenty of those types of sheets lying around. For years, the country has turbocharged its economic growth by building. Office complexes, highways, airports, shopping malls, steel mills — some barely used — stand as monuments to a single-minded devotion to growth. |
| To fuel that growth, local governments and government-controlled companies borrowed money from the country’s state-run financial system. Now, China’s economic growth is slowing — a phenomenon that predates the coronavirus outbreak — and the local debt load across the country is estimated to total in the trillions of dollars. | To fuel that growth, local governments and government-controlled companies borrowed money from the country’s state-run financial system. Now, China’s economic growth is slowing — a phenomenon that predates the coronavirus outbreak — and the local debt load across the country is estimated to total in the trillions of dollars. |
| Perhaps no place in China embodies that mind-set more than Tianjin. | Perhaps no place in China embodies that mind-set more than Tianjin. |
| Tianjin was long one of the fastest-growing places in the country. It got there by introducing ambitious plans to build industrial parks, economic zones and glamorous skyscrapers, some among the tallest in the world. One glassy district promotes itself as China’s Manhattan. | Tianjin was long one of the fastest-growing places in the country. It got there by introducing ambitious plans to build industrial parks, economic zones and glamorous skyscrapers, some among the tallest in the world. One glassy district promotes itself as China’s Manhattan. |
| Now the bill is coming due. Tianjin officials recently admitted that they had overstated growth, and it is now one of China’s worst-performing cities. Many of its construction sites had gone idle. Experts estimate its debt load totals hundreds of billions of dollars. | Now the bill is coming due. Tianjin officials recently admitted that they had overstated growth, and it is now one of China’s worst-performing cities. Many of its construction sites had gone idle. Experts estimate its debt load totals hundreds of billions of dollars. |
| When the coronavirus struck, local officials sprang into action. The district of Heping in particular seized on the city’s huge supply of blue-colored construction walls as a way to stop the virus’s spread. It helps that Tianjin neighbors Hebei Province, an industrial area where steel mills are plentiful and supplies can be easily found. | When the coronavirus struck, local officials sprang into action. The district of Heping in particular seized on the city’s huge supply of blue-colored construction walls as a way to stop the virus’s spread. It helps that Tianjin neighbors Hebei Province, an industrial area where steel mills are plentiful and supplies can be easily found. |
| Heping officials called the steel sheets the “Blue Great Wall,” though it is in fact a series of smaller walls across the district. The name is a reference to the Great Wall, which China’s imperial leaders built to ward off northern nomads in another era. Though it did not end up helping much, it symbolizes national determination. | Heping officials called the steel sheets the “Blue Great Wall,” though it is in fact a series of smaller walls across the district. The name is a reference to the Great Wall, which China’s imperial leaders built to ward off northern nomads in another era. Though it did not end up helping much, it symbolizes national determination. |
| The local government said in a statement that the Blue Great Wall blocks off side entrances into communities and lets officials more easily track people moving through main entrances. | The local government said in a statement that the Blue Great Wall blocks off side entrances into communities and lets officials more easily track people moving through main entrances. |
| Updated June 2, 2020 | |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | |
| Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. | Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| More than 40 million people — the equivalent of 1 in 4 U.S. workers — have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic took hold. One in five who were working in February reported losing a job or being furloughed in March or the beginning of April, data from a Federal Reserve survey released on May 14 showed, and that pain was highly concentrated among low earners. Fully 39 percent of former workers living in a household earning $40,000 or less lost work, compared with 13 percent in those making more than $100,000, a Fed official said. | More than 40 million people — the equivalent of 1 in 4 U.S. workers — have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic took hold. One in five who were working in February reported losing a job or being furloughed in March or the beginning of April, data from a Federal Reserve survey released on May 14 showed, and that pain was highly concentrated among low earners. Fully 39 percent of former workers living in a household earning $40,000 or less lost work, compared with 13 percent in those making more than $100,000, a Fed official said. |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. |
| “The Heping district manages and controls complex entrances to block any unnecessary access into a community and maintains only a main entrance, building a ‘Blue Great Wall’ of security,” a statement from the district government said. | “The Heping district manages and controls complex entrances to block any unnecessary access into a community and maintains only a main entrance, building a ‘Blue Great Wall’ of security,” a statement from the district government said. |
| The local government-controlled news media has reported that residents feel more at ease now that the Blue Great Wall has been erected. But it has also reported that people have found gaps and bent the walls in places to more easily get through. Like its inspiration, the Blue Great Wall ultimately cannot stop human nature. | The local government-controlled news media has reported that residents feel more at ease now that the Blue Great Wall has been erected. But it has also reported that people have found gaps and bent the walls in places to more easily get through. Like its inspiration, the Blue Great Wall ultimately cannot stop human nature. |