Not The Onion: China is drawing a line atop Mt. Everest to stop spread of COVID-19

Not The Onion: China is drawing a line atop Mt. Everest to stop spread of COVID-19
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By K. Walker

It seems a bit unlikely that someone infected with the coronavirus would be climbing to a peak of 29,000 feet, yet here we are.

Nepal is currently struggling to cope with a massive outbreak of COVID-19, with approximately 9,000 infections reported daily. To curtail the infection rate rising in the land where the virus is believed to have begun began, China is doing everything it can to keep the Nepalese out.

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That includes adding a border marker at the summit of Mount Everest to delineate the Chinese side from the Nepalese side. It’s unclear how the border will be enforced, however, or if that is even possible. Via Global News:

Chinese officials have come up with an unusual plan to stop the spread of COVID-19 at the top of the world: they’re going to draw a line through the peak of Mount Everest.

The sitcom-like strategy is a response to Nepal‘s struggles with the Coronavirus, which has afflicted several cities and reportedly spread to tourists at base camp on the Nepali side of the mountain.

Chinese state media announced on Monday that a team of 21 Tibetan climbers will scale Everest in order to set up a separation line between the Chinese and Nepali sides of the summit. The line is meant to prevent climbers from interacting on the tiny mountaintop, the country’s Xinhua News Agency reports.

The mountain peak is just a small mound of snow with space for about six climbers and guides, so putting up a “border” will be tricky. It’s also above an area called the “death zone,” where many have died due to a lack of oxygen, so putting a guard up there isn’t an option. But then again, when was the last time the CCP cared about human lives?

Besides all of that, the idea that someone who has contracted a respiratory illness like the coronavirus would be able to make it to the peak when there is already an oxygen issue is just ridiculous. “The idea that anyone with COVID-19 could even reach the summit is impossible because climbers with any respiratory difficulties will just not be able to reach the altitude,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa, a veteran mountaineering expert.

He also said that climbers from each side take completely different routes to the mountain’s peak and would only meet at the summit. Even if they do meet up there, they would be wearing heavy gear, including face coverings to protect them from the elements. This would obscure the identity of Nepalese climbers looking to sneak into China..

So, this is basically a pointless move by China to make it look like they’re actually doing something besides allowing the world to be infected COVID. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised. This is precisely how the World Health Organization conducted its two-week-long investigation into the origin of the coronavirus more than a year after it had been unleashed on the world.

Cross-posted at Clash Daily

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