ANGER ON THE STREETS OF CHINESE CITIES
THE BIGGEST BIGGEST NATIONWIDE DISPLAY THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN A
GENERATION -- PROTESTERS, PUSHING BACK
AGAINST POLICE AND THE GOVERNMENT'S ZERO COVID POLICY.
THE UNREST TRIGGERED BY A DEADLY FIRE IN A, RISHI IN
CHINA'S WESTERN XINJIANG REGION LAST THURSDAY.
VIDEOS EMERGED OF FIRE HOSES, BARELY REACHING THE BLAZE WHICH
KILLED AT LEAST TEN PEOPLE. AMONG, THEN A WOMAN AND FOUR OF
HER CHILDREN. >> WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR MOTHER
AND YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS? >> [SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
>> TRANSLATOR: THE FIRE STARTED IN THE 15TH FLOOR.
THE SMOKE POISON MY FAMILY, THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT STOP THE FIRE
IN TIME. TWO SURVIVING ADULT SPEAK TO ME
FROM TURKEY, UNABLE TO SEE THEIR FAMILY SINCE 2017 DUE TO
THE HARSH CRACKDOWN. THE GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF
PUTTING UP 2 MILLION OF THEIR FELLOW ETHNIC LEADERS AND
MEMBERS OF OTHER MINORITIES IN INTERNMENT CAMPS.
THEY SAY THAT THEIR LOVED ONES WERE TRAPPED IN THE BUILDING BY
COVID MEASURES. [SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH]
>> TRANSLATOR: WE CANNOT ESCAPE BECAUSE THE FIRE ESCAPE WAS
BLOCKED, AND THE FIRE-SCAPE TO THE NEW BUILDING WAS ALSO
LOCKED. >> ACCUSATION CNN CANNOT
INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRM, BUT CHINESE AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEN
SEEN LITERALLY, LOCKING RESIDENTS INTO BUILDINGS.
>> OUTRAGED OVER THE RICHIE FIRE COMPOUNDED BY PREVIOUS
DEADLY INCIDENTS IN RECENT MONTHS, DIRECTLY LINKED TO
COVID PREVENTION'S. THE, CNN VERIFIED 16 PROTESTS
IN 11 CHINESE CITIES, THIS WEEKEND, A CHINESE GOVERNMENT
OFFICIAL TOLD THE JOURNALIST THEY JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN.
[SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH] >> TRANSLATOR: WHAT HE
MENTIONED DOES NOT REFLECT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
CHINA HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE DYNAMIC ZERO COVID POLICY.
THAT HAS BEEN MAKING ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON REALITY ON
THE GROUND. >> ON MONDAY, THE WHITE PAPERS
THAT HAVE BECOME A SYMBOL OF THE PROTESTS IN MAINLAND CHINA
SPREAD HERE TO HONG KONG WHERE THE SMALL GROUPS OF
DEMONSTRATORS ARE HOLDING A VIGIL FOR WHAT THEY SAY ARE THE
VICTIMS OF CHINA'S ZERO COVID POLICY.
>> I AM A VICTIM. >> I CANNOT GO HOME FOR MANY
YEARS LIKE 2 TO 3 YEARS, RIGHT? >> MY PARENTS WERE LOCKED DOWN
FOR THREE MONTHS. EVEN RELATIVES OF MY GOOD
FRIENDS THEY SUICIDE BECAUSE OF THE LOCKDOWN.
>> WITH CHINA REPORTING RECORD BREAKING NEW DAILY CASES OF
COVID, THERE APPEARS TO BE NO END TO THE LOCKDOWNS INSIDE.
MEANWHILE, SIBLINGS MOHAMMED AND --
, CANNOT EVEN PRAY FOR CLOSURE AFTER SUFFERING THE
UNIMAGINABLE LOSS OF FIVE IMMEDIATE MEMBERS OF THEIR
FAMILY. >> WILL YOU GO HOME FOR THE
FUNERAL OF YOUR FAMILY? >> WE WANT TO ATTEND THE
FUNERAL OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS BUT IF WE WENT BACK NOW, CHINA
WILL PUT US IN JAIL OR EVEN TORTURE US.
IVAN WATSON, >> SUCH A HEARTBREAKING STORY
THERE. AND LIKE IVAN JUST SAID, THESE
PROTESTS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING AMID NEW RECORD COVID
INFECTIONS IN CHINA OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS.
THIS DESPITE LOCKDOWNS AND MANDATORY MASS TESTING.
ON MONDAY, CHINA REPORTING MORE THAN 38,000 CASES.
NOW, THE NUMBER, WHILE IT IS OF COURSE HIGH FOR CHINA.
IT BREAKS THE STREAK OF SIX CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF RECORD
HIGHS. JOINING ME NOW IS DR.
RODRIGUEZ. A BOARD CERTIFIED IN INTERNAL
MEDICINE SPECIALIST AND VIRAL RESEARCHER.
JOINS ME NOW FROM LOS ANGELES. IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
AND I WISH WE WERE NOT SPEAKING ABOUT SUCH A VULNERABLE PART OF
THE WORLD. STILL SO VULNERABLE TO THIS
VIRUS. YOU, KNOW I HAVE TO, SAY IT
SEEMS LIKE FOR CHINA, TIME HAS STOOD STILL HERE.
RIGHT? WHAT OPTIONS DOES IT HAVE?
ESPECIALLY GIVEN HOW VULNERABLE ITS POPULATION IS.
WITH LACK OF VACCINES. >> I THINK YOU MAKE A GREAT
POINT. CHINA, THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE
TIME STAND STILL. CHINA'S MOVING FORWARD.
THE VIRUSES MOVING FORWARD. SO, THEY DO NOT HAVE MANY
OPTIONS. BECAUSE CHINA HAS RELIED ON
JUST THIS VERY TO TELL A THERRIEN TYPE OF BLOCKADE IF
YOU WILL. THE VIRUS HAS CHANGED.
OMICRON CHANGED THE WHOLE THING BY BECOMING SO RESISTANT.
UNFORTUNATELY, CHINA DOES NOT HAVE A GOOD PLAN B.
THEY DO NOT HAVE A GOOD VACCINE. IF THEY'RE GOING TO DO
SOMETHING MANDATORY, THEY SHOULD HAVE THEIR PEOPLE HAVE A
MANDATORY VACCINE. SO I THINK THAT THIS HORSE THIS
OUT OF THE BARN. THE FACT THEY ARE HAVING THIS
MANY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INFECTIONS NOW.
IT MEANS THAT THE ZERO TOLERANCE, THE ZERO
AVAILABILITY OF PEOPLE TO GET OUT OF THEIR HOMES IS ALREADY A
VERY FAILED TACTIC. >> YEAH, WHAT DO THEY DO NOW?
DOCTOR ANTHONY FAUCI WAS ON CNN MONDAY.
HE OFFERED HIS THOUGHTS AND WAS QUITE CANDID ABOUT THE ACT AS A
SCIENTIST, IT WAS HARD TO KEEP ONE STEP AHEAD OF THIS VIRUS.
I WANT YOU TO LISTEN OUT ABOUT WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THE CHINESE
SITUATION. >> WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
SHUTTING THINGS DOWN, IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE A TEMPORARY
PHENOMENON. NOT A LONG RANGE STRATEGY.
BUT YOU SHOULD DO IT WITH A PURPOSE IN MIND.
TO ALLOW YOU TO OPEN. >> IN TERMS OF ALLOWING TO OPEN,
WHAT CAN CHINA DO EVEN IF THEY WANTED TO PULL BACK A LITTLE
BIT FROM THE COVID ZERO POLICY? GIVEN THE FACT THAT VACCINATION
LIVES ARE SO LOW. >> THAT IS WHY I THINK THEY ARE
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE.
THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE. THAT THEY NEED TO BRING IN GOOD
VACCINES TO THE COUNTRY. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST
POPULOUS COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DO.
I THINK PART OF THE REASON WHY THEY ARE RESORTING TO THESE
ZERO COVID POLICIES IS BECAUSE THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THE
FINANCIAL MEANS TO BRING REALLY GOOD VACCINES.
SO, I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO BE WITH A VERY DIFFICULT
SITUATION. BECAUSE THE FACT THEY ARE
ALREADY HAVING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CASES PER DAY.
THESE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE EXPONENTIALLY.
SO I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT, BUT I THINK THEY MIGHT
HAVE TO REACH OUT DIPLOMATICALLY AND TRY TO SEEK
HELP FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD.
THAT DO HAVE MRNA VACCINES AND DO HAVE BETTER WAYS OF
PROTECTING THEIR PEOPLE. >> THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS
ALREADY SAID IT IS THERE TO HELP IF CHINA ASK SORT.
IT HAS NOT SO. FAR I WANT TO GO THROUGH WHAT
WAS REALLY A CHILLING ASSESSMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR.
IT WAS PUBLISHED IN NATURE MEDICINE IN MAY.
IT WAS REALLY TRYING TO SPELL OUT WHAT AN OMICRON WAVE WOULD
MEAN FOR CHINA. AND THIS IS JUST THE CONCLUSION
AFTER A LOT OF RESEARCH. WE FIND THAT THE LEVEL OF
IMMUNITY INDUCED BY THE MARCH 2022 VACCINATION CAMPAIGN WOULD
BE INSUFFICIENT TO PREVENT AND OMICRON WAVE THAT WOULD RESULT
IN EXCEEDING CRITICAL CARE CAPACITY.
LET US UNDERSCORE. THAT EXCEEDING CRITICAL CARE
CAPACITY WITH THE PROJECTED PEAK OF 15.6 TIMES THE EXISTING
CAPACITY. AND CAUSING APPROXIMATELY 1.5
MILLION DEATHS. DOCTOR, WHERE DO YOU GO FROM
THAT KIND OF STAT. VACCINATION RATES HAVE NOT
MOVED THAT MUCH. HOW ALARMING IS THAT?
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CONSEQUENCES FOR 1.4 BILLION
PEOPLE. >> IT'S VERY ALARMING.
NOT JUST FOR THOSE 1.4 BILLION PEOPLE, BUT THE FACT YOU ARE
GOING TO HAVE 1.4 BILLION PEOPLE THAT EVEN A SMALL
FRACTION OF THAT ARE GOING TO BE RE-PRODUCING NEW VIRUSES AND
WILL AFFECT THE REST OF THE WORLD.
THEY WILL TEST TO WAKE UP TO THE FACT THAT MAYBE THE WAY
CHINA GOES WITH A NEW WAVE IN INFECTIONS, IS THE WAY THE
WORLD MIGHT GO. SO REALLY, THIS IS GOING TO
NEED TO BE A CONCERTED EFFORT. IF CHINA IS GOING TO USE
TOTALITARIAN TACTICS TO TRY TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID,
THEY SHOULD USE AND I AM NOT ADVOCATING TO TELL A TRAIN,
ANYTHING DON'T GET ME WRONG. THEY SHOULD USE AT LEAST
SOMETHING THAT WORKS. AND THE ONLY THING THAT IS
WORKING NOW TO SOME DEGREE, TO DECREASE THE SPREAD, TO THE
DEATHS IS MRNA VACCINES, THAT IS WHERE I THINK THEY NEED TO
HEAD. THEY NEED TO SEEK HELP FROM THE
REST OF THE WORLD, THEY NEED TO HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND SEEK
EXTERNAL HELP. AND UNFORTUNATELY IT IS
UNLIKELY THEY WILL DO THAT. I WANT TO DRILL DOWN ON THE
CONSEQUENCES YOU ARE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
1.4 BILLION PEOPLE, IF COVID DOESN'T GET TO A POINT WHERE IT
IS UNCONTROLLABLE THERE, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE REST
OF THE WORLD. IN TERMS OF THE WAY VIRUSES
BEHAVE RIGHT? >> OF COURSE.
THAT IS MY WHOLE POINT, LISTEN, WE ARE NOT ISOLATED.
THAT IS WHY FROM THE BEGINNING, THIS WAY OF TREATING COVID WAS
DOOMED. BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CONCERTED
EFFORT WITH THE WHOLE WORLD. YOU CAN'T JUST TREATED IN THE
UNITED STATES. YOU CAN'T JUST TREATED IN THE
UK. COMPLETELY UNITED BY
TRANSPORTATION, BY IMMIGRATION. BY ECONOMICS.
THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN LACKING. IN MAYBE THE W.H.O. DID NOT DO
ENOUGH, BUT WE CAN'T JUST BLAME ON THE W.H.O..
IF EVERY COUNTRY IS NOT GOING TO COOPERATE, REALIZE WE ARE
ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, WE ARE GOING TO BE WHERE WE ARE.
FORTUNATELY, I THINK WE ARE TOO LACKADAISICAL THESE DAYS.
TAKING IT FOR GRANTED. PEOPLE ARE NOT DYING AS MUCH.
SO WHAT'S NEXT? THE SUPER VIRUS THAT IS GOING
TO COMPLETELY OBLITERATED A GREAT PORTION OF THE WORLD?
IT MIGHT HAPPEN. AND CHINA IS A 1.4 TRILLION
PETRI DISH POSSIBILITY. >> CHILLING WHEN YOU PUT IT IN
THOSE TERMS. AGAIN, THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS
OF THIS PANDEMIC. DR. RODRIGUEZ, THANK YOU AGAIN.