Is China back to normal?

Pictures and reports show that it is!
By India Parent Magazine

While theaters, markets, restaurants and malls are bustling with people seemingly without masks, the rest of the world wonders expectantly about its own reopening!

People jubilant at a concert in Chongli, in the northern province of Hebei
Picture courtesy Ng Han Guan/Associated Press

While most of the world is still working from homes and fail to remember how theaters look like, it seems China is back on track abuzz and hectic with social activity.

As per reports in New York Times and other magazines, in Shanghai, China, restaurants and bars in many neighborhoods are teeming with crowds. In Beijing, thousands of students are heading back to campus for the fall semester. In Wuhan, where the corona virus emerged eight months ago, water parks and night markets are packed elbow to elbow, buzzing like before.

While the United States and much of the world are still struggling to contain the corona virus pandemic, life in many parts of China has in recent weeks become strikingly normal. Cities have relaxed social-distancing rules and mask mandates, and crowds are again filling tourist sites, movie theaters and gyms, reports NYT.

In India corona virus is still spreading at a rapid rate with three million reported cases (in the state of Andhra alone 93 percent asymptomatic cases are being reported), as of yesterday, and schools don’t seem to be reopening in the fall in California, USA. Theaters look bleak and concerts and public shows are for the time being out of question and are a far dream.

“At such a bleak scenario, it feels good and hopeful that China is opening up and to see people attending concerts without masks. Their joy gives us hope that good times will soon be back,” said Srinivas Reddy of Cupertino speaking to India Parent Magazine (www.indiaparentmagazine.org). “I am waiting for the day, just as it is right now in China, to attend a concert of either music or dance. I miss those days tremendously,” he said wistfully.

While some, such as Srinivas, wait for social activities to resume, others are looking forward to schools reopening.

“I just want my kids to get back on normal activity and structured schooling. It’s very important for them to be with their own age group. And I need a break!” said Navneet Kaur from Milpitas. “Hopefully soon.”