Apr 17, 2022 - Health

Biden’s coronavirus chief says “zero-COVID” strategy not likely to work

Julia Shapero

A community volunteer wearing personal protective equipment disinfects an area before conducting a test for COVID-19 during a lockdown in Pudong district in Shanghai on April 17. Photo: Liu Jin/AFP via Getty Images

Ashish Jha, the White House's COVID-19 response coordinator, said Sunday that he does not think a "zero-COVID" strategy, similar to the one adopted in China, is likely to work.

The big picture: China's "zero-COVID" strategy, which seeks to stamp out COVID-19 altogether, has led to strict lockdowns as cases rise.

The nation locked down its largest city, Shanghai, in late March. The lockdown has resulted in food shortages and disruptions in medical care for residents.

Driving the news: Jha said on "Fox News Sunday" that he thinks the strategy is unlikely to work.

"I think it's very difficult at this point with a highly contagious variant to be able to curtail this through lockdowns alone," Jha said.
"That's why our strategy, which we have advocated, is people should get vaccinated and boosted," he added. "We should make sure treatments are available. That is a much more effective, long-term, durable strategy for living with this virus."

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Biden’s coronavirus chief says “zero-COVID” strategy not likely to work

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