More than 2,000km away and 18 weeks after China’s first mass quarantine, residents in the city of Shulan in the far north-east of the country have suddenly discovered what the people of Wuhan endured.
After detecting a small cluster of cases last week, authorities put in place a full lockdown of the city of 700,000 people in China’s Jilin province.
Transport to and from the area was cut off and residents were instructed to stay inside. After the virus spread rapidly from Wuhan, authorities are not taking any chances.
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“I have really experienced the hardship that the people of Wuhan felt at the start of the year,” a social media user called Dengaide Meigui posted on Weibo, a Twitter-like service. “I really want to cry. I don’t know how long we will have to live our days like this.”
Many people in China are asking similar questions: how long will lockdowns persist in a country that has boasted about its ability to control the virus that is still ravaging the US and Europe?
As nations across Asia attempt to return to normal life, governments are devising plans for how to manage small, inevitable outbreaks while also keeping economies on track. Experts have warned that coronavirus will probably become endemic and officials should adopt strategies that allow life to continue alongside a small number of new cases.
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But China is charting its own path: it appears to be entering into a long and lonely fight to exert complete control over coronavirus, despite warnings that the disease will continue to re-emerge.
“The Chinese policy of shutting down large populations — that is zero tolerance,” said William Schaffner, medical director at the Maryland-based National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. “In contrast, other countries have more tolerance for low-level transmission and some frequency of serious illness, hospitalisation and deaths.”
Shulan is one of several new outbreaks that has entailed the lockdown of millions of people. Nearby Jilin City, home to more than 4m, was also put into partial quarantine after a local transmission was detected.
The clusters in northern China have given the clearest picture yet of how China plans to deal with outbreaks.
China’s National Health Commission has issued a number of instructions for what it calls “normalised prevention”, a rough strategy that includes shutting down areas where new cases are discovered.
But the extent of the lockdown — ranging from the closure of a housing development to that of an entire city — is largely left to local officials, who said locking down their area was one of the few recourses they had to stop contagion.
“Local authorities do not have the expertise to fight the epidemic,” an official in Guangdong province told the Financial Times. “Now we just meet to learn from [Chinese president] Xi Jinping’s speeches . . . The central government did not give us what we really need for our work. We need professionals, not bureaucrats.”
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China’s lockdown model for handling new outbreaks contrasts sharply with other countries in the region.
In Korea, for example, a recent cluster of new cases in Itaewon, a bar and nightclub district in Seoul, resulted in the shutting of businesses there and aggressive contact tracing.
More than 65,000 people were eventually tested. But the area itself was not locked down. Experts pointed out that by the time an area could be effectively locked down, the virus had already spread to other places.
“Isolating Itaewon would have been closing the barn door after the horse had bolted,” said Jerome Kim, director-general of Korea’s International Vaccine Institute. He noted that lockdowns were a preliminary measure meant to buy more time for a nation’s health system, not a long-term strategy. Korea has prepared to deal with a low number of cases in the coming months.
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“The government recognised the need to loosen up the economy again, and to begin to get the country back to work,” Dr Kim said. “It knows that there will be outbreaks and has to be ready to deal with them promptly.”
Ryan Manuel, a public health expert and the chief Asia strategist for Silverhorn Investment Advisors, said China’s local officials had to face the difficult choice between keeping their economies running and preventing new outbreaks.
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Editor’s note
The Financial Times is making coronavirus coverage free to read to help everyone stay informed. Find the latest here.
Given the high stakes and potential punishment for new outbreaks, officials will almost always adopt the strongest measures.
“This is a classic regulation problem for China,” Mr Manuel said. “Are you better off shutting a whole city down or meeting your economic indicators?”
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Even with the relatively swift lockdowns of Shulan and Jilin City, six local officials in the area were removed from office this week — a clear signal that central leaders will not tolerate even the smallest outbreak.
“I don’t think anywhere is going to succeed in elimination because the virus is going to keep coming back,” said Benjamin Cowling, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Hong Kong. “Other areas of Asia are looking at suppression.”
Additional reporting by Xueqiao Wang in Shanghai
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(Note: This is a Article Automatically Generated Through Syndication, Here is The Original Source
Passionate news enthusiast with a flair for words. Our Editorial Team author brings you the latest updates, in-depth analysis, and engaging stories. Stay informed with their well-researched articles.
The legal wrangling between the crypto sector and the SEC, or the Securities and Exchange Commission, is getting uglier, with ConsenSys, a major protagonist of the Ethereum Blockchain, filing a lawsuit against the regulatory body in a Texas federal court. This legal action seeks an intervention to ward off a looming SEC lawsuit against the company regarding features of its popular MetaMask wallet. The lawsuit also seeks the court’s help in deciding once and for all the vexed question of whether Ethereum’s digital token, Ether, is not a security. The legal uncertainty hangs heavily on the crypto sector and puts a question mark on its very existence.
In an exhaustive 34-page legal filing, ConsenSys states that the SEC’s endeavor to exert control over Ethereum is both illegal and a threat to blockchain technology.
The complaint states,
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“The SEC’s unlawful seizure of authority over ETH would spell disaster for the Ethereum network, and for ConsenSys. Every holder of ETH, including ConsenSys, would fear violating the securities laws if he or she were to transfer ETH on the network. This would bring the use of the Ethereum blockchain in the United States to a halt, crippling one of the internet’s greatest innovations.”
The lawsuit also alleges that SEC Chairman Gary Gensler has embarked on an aggressive enforcement policy directed at the big players in the crypto sector like Coinbase and Uniswap. The lawsuit particularly points out a campaign that involved a deluge of subpoenas asking firms and developers for documents related to their dealings with the nonprofit Ethereum Foundation, which supports the blockchain’s development.
The crypto sector is up in arms against Gensler’s tactics and has contended that the SEC has never provided clear rules meant for the distinct features of blockchain technology. However, Gensler negates this argument, saying that the existing securities laws are clear and sufficient, and that the crypto industry refuses to comply with them.
Gensler’s actions are full of contradictions since, in the past, the SEC had maintained that blockchain’s tokens, like Bitcoin, are not securities and hence beyond its purview. A senior official in 2018 had stated that Ethereum has reached a state where it is adequately decentralized, and further, the agency also gave the green signal for the launch of Ethereum futures trading—an implicit acknowledgement that Ether is a commodity. However, at present, Gensler is using a recent feature of Ethereum, known as staking, as grounds for the recent legal campaign.
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The lawsuit was filed after the SEC issued a Wells Notice, which is akin to a formal letter warning that the agency intends to sue a firm and could lead to a settlement later. The SEC charged ConsenSys that MetaMask was operating as an unlicensed broker-dealer. MetaMask offered users a means to stake Ethereum on their behalf. Staking was a feature introduced in September 2022 on the Blockchain as a replacement for the energy-intensive mining process. The process involves a system of validators who pledge collateral to become trusted validators.
The SEC objects to the process of staking, which has changed Ethereum from a commodity into a security. ConsenSys founder Joe Lubin has called this account of the SEC “preposterous”.
Lubin said,
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“The act of staking is really just posting a security bond so you can get paid to contribute labor and resources to help operate the Ethereum protocol. Now they’re trying to turn that into some sort of investment contract.”
Lubin also stated that the SEC’s actions will lead to a halt in the growth of the crypto sector and blockchain technology as a whole. Lubin feels that the SEC seeks to block pending applications by companies to launch spot ETFs for Ethereum, following the huge popularity of Bitcoin ETFs. The SEC is in fact trying to regulate a technology on its merits and it will only stifle innovation.
Caterina Fake is a renowned American entrepreneur and co-founder of several groundbreaking ventures, including Flickr and Hunch. Born on June 13, 1969, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Fake has been a driving force in reshaping the digital landscape through her innovative ideas and entrepreneurial acumen.
From her early days in Pittsburgh to her rise in Silicon Valley, Caterina Fake’s career has been marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence. Co-founding platforms like Flickr and Hunch, she has revolutionized how we connect and share information online. Her visionary leadership and creative brilliance have cemented her status as a trailblazer in the tech industry.
Caterina Fake Net Worth
As of 2024, according to TheRichest, Caterina Fake’s net worth stands at an impressive $25 million. Her entrepreneurial ventures, including Flickr and Hunch, have contributed significantly to her financial success. With a keen eye for emerging trends and a knack for innovation, Fake continues to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs around the world.
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Caterina Fake Age
Currently 54 years old, Caterina Fake was born on June 13, 1969. Despite her age, she remains a dynamic force in the business world, constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in technology and entrepreneurship.
Caterina Fake Family: Husband and Children
Caterina Fake was previously married to Stewart Butterfield, with whom she co-founded Flickr. They tied the knot in 2001 but announced their split in 2007. They share one child, Mint Butterfield, who has recently been reported missing. Caterina Fake is currently in a relationship with Jaiku co-founder Jyri Engeström.
Caterina Fake Height and Weight
While specific details about Caterina Fake’s height and weight are not readily available, her stature in the tech industry is undeniable. Standing tall as a visionary leader and innovator, Fake’s impact transcends physical measurements, leaving an enduring legacy in the digital sphere.
In the realm of e-commerce and product distribution, the importance of choosing the right shipping label cannot be overstated. A shipping label is not merely a piece of paper with an address; it serves as a vital communication tool between the sender, carrier, and recipient. From ensuring package security to complying with regulations, the right shipping label can streamline your shipping process and enhance customer satisfaction. However, with various options available, selecting the appropriate shipping label for your specific needs can be daunting. This comprehensive guide aims to navigate you through the maze of choices, empowering you to make informed decisions.
Understanding Shipping Label Basics
Before delving into the specifics, let’s start with the fundamentals. A shipping label typically contains crucial information such as the sender’s and recipient’s addresses, package weight, tracking number, and barcodes. It serves as a passport for your package, facilitating its journey from sender to receiver. Additionally, shipping labels often include information about the contents of the package, handling instructions, and compliance markings for hazardous materials.
Factors to Consider
When choosing the right shipping label, several factors come into play, including:
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Package Type: Different packages require different types of labels. Whether you’re shipping small parcels, envelopes, or large boxes, selecting the appropriate label size and format is crucial.
Shipping Method: Consider the shipping method you’ll be using. Labels for domestic shipments may differ from those for international deliveries. Moreover, carriers such as USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL may have specific label requirements.
Durability: If your package is exposed to harsh conditions or requires long-distance travel, opt for durable labels that can withstand moisture, abrasion, and other environmental factors.
Barcode Compatibility: Barcodes play a vital role in tracking and sorting packages. Ensure that your shipping label is compatible with the barcode systems used by your chosen carrier.
Regulatory Compliance: Depending on the nature of your shipment, you may need to adhere to regulatory standards and include specific markings or warnings on your shipping label. This is particularly important for hazardous materials, perishable goods, and international shipments.
Types of Shipping Labels
Now, let’s explore some common types of shipping labels and their features:
Integrated Labels: Integrated labels combine the shipping label with other essential documents, such as packing slips or invoices. This streamlined approach simplifies the packing process and reduces the risk of document misplacement.
Thermal Labels: Thermal labels utilize heat-sensitive paper to create high-quality, smudge-free prints. They are ideal for high-volume shipping operations and do not require ink or toner cartridges.
Peel-and-Stick Labels: Peel-and-stick labels feature a self-adhesive backing, allowing for quick and easy application to packages. They are available in various sizes and can be customized with branding elements or additional information.
Waterproof Labels: Waterproof labels are designed to withstand exposure to moisture, making them suitable for shipments that may encounter rain, snow, or humidity during transit.
Custom Labels: Custom labels offer a unique opportunity to enhance brand visibility and convey specific messages to recipients. They can be tailored to include logos, slogans, promotional offers, and special handling instructions.
Label Printing Options
Once you’ve selected the appropriate label type and size, you’ll need to decide how to print your labels. Common printing options include:
Direct Thermal Printing: Direct thermal printers use heat-sensitive paper to produce high-quality prints without the need for ink or toner. They are cost-effective and ideal for printing shipping label on demand.
Thermal Transfer Printing: Thermal transfer printers utilize a ribbon to transfer ink onto the label, resulting in durable, long-lasting prints. While slightly more expensive than direct thermal printing, thermal transfer printers are suitable for applications requiring enhanced durability and longevity.
Desktop Printers vs. Industrial Printers: Desktop printers are compact and affordable, making them suitable for small businesses and low-volume shipping operations. Industrial printers are designed for high-volume printing and offer advanced features such as faster printing speeds and larger label capacities.
Cloud-based Printing Solutions: Cloud-based printing solutions allow you to print shipping labels from any location with internet access. This is particularly beneficial for businesses with multiple shipping locations or remote employees.
Conclusion
Choosing the right shipping label is a critical step in ensuring the smooth and efficient delivery of your products. By considering factors such as package type, shipping method, durability, barcode compatibility, and regulatory compliance, you can select the label that best meets your needs. Whether you opt for integrated labels, thermal labels, peel-and-stick labels, waterproof labels, or custom labels, investing in the right shipping label solution will streamline your shipping process, enhance package security, and ultimately improve customer satisfaction.
