China is currently facing its biggest COVID-19 challenge since the early days of the pandemic, prompting some to question the country's dynamic clearance strategy. Although the Omicron variant is relatively less severe compared to previous COVID-19 strains, its high transmissibility can still wreak havoc on China's large population, especially among vulnerable demographics like the elderly.

The Chinese CDC estimated if China chose to "live with COVID-19" like some countries are encouraging, its daily cases would skyrocket to hundreds of thousands and quickly overwhelm the country's medical system. But as vaccination, treatment and quarantine measures improve, it is possible to greatly reduce the harm the coronavirus can do.