Chinese who lost relatives to COVID angry at failure to protect elderly

Beijing resident Zhang, 66, who lost four people close to him since early December as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases spiked in China, poses for a picture at the Forbidden City in Beijing, China January 13, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Former high school teacher Ailia was devastated when her 85-year-old father died after displaying COVID-like symptoms as the virus swept through their hometown in the southeastern province of Jiangxi.

While her father was never tested, Ailia and her mother were both confirmed positive around the same time and she believes that COVID was a cause in his death.