This is the very reason covid was "invented".  Trouble is, it leaked out of china and into the entire world.  And every country is playing it to the hilt, by using covid as their cover for all sorts of ridiculous things.  China doesn't actually know whether they should be happy or sad about the leaks . . .

https://thefederalist.com/2022/05/16/communist-china-doubles-down-on-impossible-zero-covid-benchmark-to-control-citizens-with-brutal-lockdowns/