Editor's Note:

While China is sparing no efforts in combatting the Omicron variant in Jilin, Shanghai and its Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, voices advocating for people to "lie flat" are growing. They claim that the variant is easily transmitted, but causes mild to no symptoms. "It is just a 'big flu.'" Some Western media have reported that the Omicron variant seemed to be less lethal than the flu in some regions, but this was only because of the reduced severity, and high vaccination rates in said regions, which is not the case in many other places. Instead, many scientific studies and facts have suggested that it is inappropriate to call the Omicron variant just a "big flu" and here is why...

Not big flu! Graphics: Chen He, Tang Tengfei, Liu Xidan, Xia Qing/GT