Residents are struggling to get much-needed treatment and supplies in Wuhan and other closed-off cities, and the death toll is rising.
Jonathan Moreno, a professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania, said the lockdowns could have knock-on effects – causing fear, and disruption to travel, critical supply chains, aid and communication – that were not helpful.
“A quarantine is in any case a clumsy approach,” he said. “It may succeed in some ways but is sure to fail in others. These failures will be widely recognised and further undermine confidence in the authorities’ decision-making and control over the situation.”