Editor's note: John Gong is a professor at the University of International Business and Economics and a research fellow at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at UIBE. The article reflects the author's views and not necessarily those of CGTN.

The news coming from Shanghai, the largest of many cities in China practically under lockdown these days as a result of the n-th wave of this vicious COVID-19 thing, is indeed very disturbing. It is disturbing in terms of the Omicron variant's speed, scale and wickedness of its transmission. It is also disturbing in how much pressure is impacting our civil society from the lockdown measures.

Shanghai is a beautiful city with beautiful people. It represents the epitome of this country's achievements in culture, in governance, and in civil life. It holds one of the largest foreign expatriate populations in China as it boasts some of the largest multinational corporations in the world who call it home. When the news that Shanghai people were going through extraordinary hardship hit national headlines, and when the reality sunk in that a vibrant world-class metropolis had suddenly come to a grinding halt, I couldn't help wonder if my beloved hometown would not only come out of this unscathed, but even stronger.

Let us not forget what Thomas Paine said, "These are the times that try men's souls!"

The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, spew their badmouthing rhetoric online or offline, but unsung heroes in Shanghai who are standing by it now deserve the love and thanks of men and women. These are courageous people, volunteers, fast-delivery guys, government officials, hospital doctors, nurses and other medical staff, etc. who have been toiling away, doing their part day and night over the last few days to make life for citizens a little safer and a little easier. City leaders down to the neighborhood level are putting up a tremendous fight against the Omicron variant.  

We don't have a choice here. This has been our model of fighting this virus and this will be how it is conquered. Once the central government decided "dynamic zero COVID" policy was the way to go, the entire city and the entire country fell in line to help it succeed. The central government has mobilized a tremendous amount of resources from other provinces to help Shanghai, just as it did with Wuhan when COVID-19 first broke out.

China is not alone in terms of imposing restrictive policies. In Germany, for example, the situation is even worse. In the last few days, 300,000 new infections per day have surfaced. The actual number of new infections may be even much more due to Omicron's sometimes asymptomatic nature. Germany has reported around 300 deaths per day in the last few days.

"The pandemic isn't over by a long shot. There can be no talk of a 'freedom day,'" said German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach recently. The German Bundestag and Bundesrat are going to amend the Infection Protection Act which contains restrictive measures such as wearing protective masks in public such as in buses and trains as well as in hospitals and nursing homes.

Thankfully, there hasn't been a single death in Shanghai so far. In light of all the difficulties and hardship inflicting the Shanghai people, at least this is some comfort.

In times of crisis throughout history, China has never failed its people when flexing its national solidarity muscles, reflected in how people stand firmly behind their leaders and governments, how people reach out to help each other, and how people step up to challenges.

COVID-19 is not easily conquered. But we have this consolation: The harder the battle, the more glorious the triumph.

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