A U.S. epidemiologist has stated that China’s zero-Covid rule won’t prevent the spread the highly infectious omicron variety.

Beijing may not be able to use the same “authoritarian approaches” against omicron because the variant is unlike the others, Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, said on Friday.

According to him, “Trying to stop an omicron would be kind of like trying stop the wind.” He spoke on CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia.”

Osterholm stated that China poses a unique risk to the omicron because of a variety of factors. Early research suggests the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines may not be very effective against this variant. However, China’s successes in preventing Covid from spreading means the country has an extremely large population which is still vulnerable.

CNBC requested comments from the Chinese embassies at Washington D.C. and Singapore on Friday, but received no reply as of publication.

China was the largest contributor to this record. its first omicron caseIn January, the government doubled its zero-Covid strategy. This contrasts with increasing numbers of countries who have adopted a lifestyle that is more in line with living with the virus, and lifted restrictions. Many of those countries use proven vaccines and have already experienced waves of infection — two major ways that populations establish antibodies to the virus.

Many countries initially adopted a hardline approach to social and political restrictions. However, they began to change their ways. abandoned that strategy as the highly infectious delta variant spread quickly and lockdowns became less effective. 

China’s approach may be more gradual than Europe. Dale Fisher of the Yong Loo Line School of Medicine at National University of Singapore said that while Europe has lifted its restrictions quickly, China might take a slower approach.

Fisher explained that China is not yet in the “rite-of-passage” to allow the “virus in, and deal with it.”

CNBC’s Jeremy said that China would move slowly when it decides to do so.

The Winter Olympics in BeijingThe Games began Friday and China has continued to test its zero-Covid strategy. China is trying to keep the Games running smoothly, without turning it into a Super-Spreader.

Fisher said, “China can control Covid during the Winter Olympics. There’s clearly very strict rules.” He added that all athletes undergo daily testing.

Everyone who’s been positive or has had their test done, as well as any contacts that have, will be taken into isolation and quarantine. He said that it was manageable, and the process takes only two weeks.

Disclosure: NBC Sports, NBC Olympics and NBC Sports are owned by NBCUniversal parent CNBC. NBC Olympics owns the U.S. broadcast rights for all Summer and Winter Games until 2032.