These stories are part of Global Voices’ special coverage of COVID-19 and offer a view on the pandemic from the perspective of our global community of contributors.
Stories about COVID-19
COVID-related fear and rumors in Foxconn factory drive workers to flee
Numerous witness accounts suggested that it was fear generated from rumours, COVID-related misinformation and closed-loop factory management that drove the workers to run.
Explaining the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China: Security and safety
The CPC's definition of safety/security is vital to the building of a surveillance state.
China censors online chatter after anti-Xi Jinping protest; Hong Kong media muted
Keywords such as #Haidian, #Sitong bridge, #Beijing, and even #I-saw-it were censored on Chinese social media.
Hong Kong’s wealth gap reaches ‘tipping point’ under COVID as unemployment rises among poor
The pandemic has worsened Hong Kong’s wealth gap, with the city’s poorest making 47 times less than its wealthiest residents. In the pre-COVID-19 era, the highest earners made 34.3 times more.
Hong Kong attempts to reconnect with the world by relaxing COVID-19 travel restrictions
Starting September 26, 2022, incoming travelers will no longer be required to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine. Instead, they will have to undergo 3-day medical surveillance, a week of COVID testing, and more.
Far from home, alone: Cambodian students share life in Thailand during the pandemic lockdown
"We didn't have relatives here, and we were anxious about what to do if we became infected. We have been far away from home."
Macau: The world’s gambling hub tumbles over China’s anti-corruption campaign and zero-COVID policy
China has tightened supervision over Macau's gaming sector to curb cash outflow and money laundering.
Digital authoritarianism in Bangladesh: Weaponising a draconian law to silence dissent in the pandemic era
The COVID-19 pandemic provided the government with a pretext to censor free speech, harass critics, and effectively curb dissent – accelerating what has been an ongoing turn towards authoritarianism in Bangladesh.
Vietnam’s Zalo Connect app: Digital authoritarianism hidden in peer-to-peer aid platforms
The app connects users in need with private donors. It exemplifies a humanitarian trend that centres on extracting data from vulnerable communities as a precondition to receiving aid.
Hong Kong set to implement a China-style health code and contact-tracing app
Hong Kong may adopt a health code system similar to the mainland Chinese three-colour version to curb the latest outbreak of COVID infections, according to the city's new health chief.
Jamaica announces its first case of monkeypox
The country has learned a lot from the COVID-19 pandemic — but could people be getting more complacent about the risks of infectious disease?
Indonesia's Covid tracker app PeduliLindungi: To care for and protect?
As PeduliLindungi and the government continue to fumble in its operations, one needs to ask: Is PeduliLindungi really caring for and protecting the Indonesian public?
The Caribbean's ‘looming’ food security storm suddenly seems more threatening
It is estimated that there are as many as 2.8 million people — nearly 40 percent of the population — suffering from food insecurity in the English-speaking Caribbean, most of them from low-income households.
What the world needs now: A new deal in a reformed global economic system
"The prosperous East Asian nations (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong, and China at the lower income margins) have been the greatest assets for growth of the world system for some time now."
In their own words: Facilitated conversation as a way to report on Latin America
The day-to-day lives of Latinas with disabilities are rarely reported in the media. That’s why we wanted to uplift their voices and allow them to dignify their experiences.
Just a Band’s return comes as Kenya redefines its musical identity
Alternative Kenyan music reached new audiences in 2020 as audiences sought a soundtrack that reflected their new upsidedown reality.
In their own words: Latinas with disabilities turn their homes into pandemic battlegrounds
“COVID created barriers for us that we had overcome before the pandemic. Now, we try to be as autonomous as possible, but we’re obligated to ask for help from other people.”
The most desperate response to the COVID-19 lockdown in China: ‘We are the last generation.’
Some interpreted the “we are the last generation declaration” as the most desperate resistance against tyranny.
How accurate is Nepal’s COVID-19 death toll?
Questions regarding what exactly constitutes a COVID-19 death remain elusive. With the lack of comparable data, it's hard to know the true number of COVID-19 deaths in Nepal.
Beyond Botswana and Rwanda’s COVID-19 vaccination roll-out success stories
African countries will bypass Western nationalism and Chinese soft power by boasting locally produced COVID-19 vaccines. This will wean the continent from donor dependence and boost the vaccination rate.
Unverified claims that a popular herbal medication prevents COVID-19 triggers online backlash in China
While Shanghai residents are struggling with food shortages, they have an abundant supply of “Lianhua Qingwen”.
