Covid is China’s price for rejoining humanity

The virus that established a home in the rest of humanity is now spreading in China, as had to happen sooner or later. The medical disaster that appears to be unfolding on the mainland was entirely predictable: China has 10 cities bigger than New York with perhaps a fifth the critical-care capacity. The treatment shortage is even worse in lesser cities and rural areas. And unlike youthful India, which underwent a similar ordeal two years ago, China’s population is more like a Western society’s in age and related vulnerability to severe Covid.