Shanghai will once again close its tens of millions of residents for massive COVID-19 testing over the weekend, just 10 days after lifting its grueling two-month blockade that saw young children in quarantine away from their parents and a severe hunger crisis.
Key points:
- Over the weekend, residents of 14 of Shanghai’s 16 districts will be closed and COVID-19 tested
- Supermarkets are already overflowing with panic shoppers
- Shanghai’s existing rules require residents to test access to public transportation, offices and shopping malls
Running to stop a wider outbreak after uncovering a handful of community cases, including a cluster tracked at a popular beauty salon, authorities have ordered PCR tests for all residents of 14 of Shanghai’s 16 districts.
Five of the districts said residents could not leave their homes while the tests were being conducted.
A notice issued by Changning District described the requirement to stay home as a “closed management” of the community that was shown.
The latest scare has caused a rush to grocery stores and online platforms to stock up on food, as users of the Weibo social networking platform have expressed fears that they may be closed for longer. of having started returning to work after the last lock was lifted. June 1.
Mainland China reported 151 new cases of COVID-19 on June 9th.
Some areas had remained closed or had quickly returned to the blockade due to infections and their close contacts.
Real estate agent Zhang Jian, 34, said: “The residential complex next to mine has already been closed. If there is a massive test and there is another positive case on the premises, it will have a serious impact on our vides “.
The price of COVID-zero
While China’s infection rate is low by global standards, President Xi Jinping has doubled the zero-VOCID policy that authorities say is needed to protect the elderly and the medical system.
Mainland China reported 151 new cases of COVID-19 on June 9, of which 45 were symptomatic and 106 were asymptomatic.
The latest round of mass testing adds to the already onerous testing requirements that Shanghai introduced for its 25 million residents after easing its previous blockade.
Residents must demonstrate that they have been tested for the past 72 hours to enter areas such as malls and offices, or even to use the subway and buses.
Meanwhile, Beijing on Thursday shut down entertainment and internet venues in two of the capital’s largest districts after locating cases in a few bars.
Shanghai residents have only enjoyed a week and a half of freedom before being re-arrested. (Reuters: Aly Song)
The previous blockade of Shanghai fueled widespread frustration, anger and even rare protests among its residents, many of whom struggled with loss of income, loss of freedom, death of friends and family, and even the fam.
It also affected China’s economy, disrupting supply chains, slowing international trade and hitting financial markets.
Travel to China is still severely reduced, with most international flights canceled in the last two years and long quarantines for those who manage to arrive.
Reuters