The Chinese government has reversed its rigid stance on Covid-19 lockdowns, implicitly conceding its earlier policy was causing more harm than good after an outbreak of protests. Now, public health officials in Beijing have tentatively increased their official death toll from this ghastly pandemic after the gap between their claimed figures and reality risked public ridicule.

These ‘adjustments’ are also a reminder of how China’s position on the origin of this virus that emerged within its borders should not be accepted at face value. Many Chinese scientists, doctors and health officials feel unable to freely disclose data or share stories.

And in any nation with restricted free speech, those who seek to analyse or probe events are handicapped if so many facts are disputed or even dismissed as imaginary by the authorities.