"To Save Money and Time... Chinese Woman Takes Subway Home with IV Drip"

"Left Work with an IV Drip Due to Fever"
Video Spreads... "Life as an Office Worker Has Become Tougher"

A woman leaving work with an IV drip in her arm was captured in China, sparking controversy among netizens.

Hong Kong media South China Morning Post (SCMP) released a photo on the 6th (local time) taken at a subway station in Shanghai, China. The woman in the photo is riding an escalator in the subway with an IV drip in her arm. The photo was taken at 10 p.m. by a passerby.

The passerby explained, "At first, I thought the woman was holding a water bottle. Upon closer look, she was receiving an IV drip. It was so surprising that I asked for her consent and took the photo."

A woman was seen leaving work with an IV drip attached to her arm at a subway station in Shanghai, China. [Image source=Douyin]

The woman reportedly had a fever recently and went to the hospital to receive an IV drip. However, due to time constraints, she had no choice but to leave work with the IV still attached.

She told SCMP, "I studied medicine before, so I can insert an IV myself. I did this with the doctor's consent to save time by leaving work with the IV."

The woman also revealed that she recently opened her own dance studio. She explained, "I was busy with starting the business, so I had no choice but to make this decision. Even while receiving the IV, I took the subway instead of a taxi to save on transportation costs. Since it’s the early stage of the business, I need to save money."

She added, "It’s true that my actions are unreasonable. No one should ever imitate this."

The incident sparked debate among Chinese netizens about labor culture. Comments included, "She will only worsen her illness," "Competition seems to have become excessive," and "Life as a worker is tough."

Youth Unemployment Rate in China Surpasses 20% for the First Time Since 2018

Sichuan Province Yibin City University Graduate Employment Fair
[Photo source=Captured from Hongseong Newspaper·Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, China’s youth unemployment rate in April reached 20.4%, exceeding 20% for the first time since 2018.

Although Chinese authorities have introduced measures to stabilize youth employment, analysts say the unemployment rate remains high because private companies lack the capacity to hire due to slow economic recovery even after easing COVID-19 restrictions.

China’s GDP growth rate last year, when the country implemented a strict 'zero COVID' policy, fell short of the target (around 5.5%) at 3.0%. However, after abandoning the zero COVID policy earlier this year, the first quarter growth rate exceeded market expectations at 4.5%.

Nonetheless, with manufacturing and consumer recovery slower than expected and youth unemployment soaring, many analysts believe China’s economy has not yet fully emerged from the COVID-19 tunnel.