Photographer Francois Nadeau lives in Beijing, China, and is documenting the country's intense COVID testing regimen he has to go through.
lives in Beijing, China, and has to have a COVID test almost every 48 hours. This gave him an idea for a project., gives viewers a first-person, up-close view of what it is like to be swabbed on a regular basis by Chinese officials who pursue a zero-COVID policy., Nadeau explains that tests are required if citizens want to go about their daily lives.“Usually, you take a test every 48 hours to be able to go to commerce or take the subway. Results are on your phone later in the day.
“I did a few times [take photos] with my regular camera. Some don’t mind, others just tell you ‘no photos.’ But I like the angle I get with the phone and the fact that the person does not know I am taking the image. The angle makes it more dramatic.”Nadeau, who is represented by the Hans Lucas Agency, admits that some people find China’s zero-COVID policy “weird” or even “crazy.”
Despite, the unusual approach to COVID by global standards, Nadeau has great admiration for the Chinese health workers swabbing day in, day out.