Covid-19 stigma in China can cost jobs and homes

Infection history in health apps a stumbling block; lack of awareness leads to prejudice

For many people, Covid-19 is an inconvenience that has become an undesirable part of normal life.

Not so in China, where a strict zero-tolerance policy means those who contract the virus have been isolated and often disparaged just for getting infected.

Those who have recovered are singled out during mass testing, which people in big cities must undergo at least every three days.

A history of infection stored in the health apps that track each person can be found by employers, threatening job prospects.

In extreme cases, some people have lost their homes and their livelihoods because of Covid-19 discrimination.

One former worker at a government-run isolation facility in Shanghai slept on the streets during parts of June since he could not find work or housing after getting infected.

Employers in Shanghai and nearby cities would not take him, and many “help wanted” advertisements specifically said applicants “must not have had Covid-19”, according to his posts on the social media site Weibo.