Shanghai reopens shops and businesses from May 16

An area blocked off in Shanghai on May 5 – Photo: REUTERS

At a press conference on May 15, the deputy mayor of Shanghai confirmed that this financial and manufacturing center will gradually reopen businesses from May 16.

Shanghai’s deputy mayor Chen Tong told Reuters news agency that shopping malls, shops and supermarkets would be open for people to shop “in an orderly manner”. Hair salons and grocery stores will be limited to opening. In addition, Shanghai will soon publish a “white list” of import and export companies that can resume operations.

The statement came as the number of COVID-19 cases in Shanghai and China was on the decline. On May 15, China’s National Health Commission said that the country recorded 1,789 new cases, including 239 symptomatic cases and 1,789 asymptomatic cases, within 24 hours. Previously, this country recorded more than 2,072 cases.

In Shanghai, the number of cases also decreased to about 1,370 cases on May 15 from about 1,700 cases the day before. City officials said the number of patients in isolation hospitals also fell to 50,000, a fifth of the peak last month. Therefore, the authorities have closed 5 isolation centers.

Over the past week, Shanghai has begun to relax measures and set new goals in fighting the epidemic. According to Reuters news agency, many people in this city of 25 million people have been allowed out of their homes to go for a walk or shop. However, these measures were tightened for three weekends, during which people were asked to stay at home, before starting to reopen from next week.

In a statement on May 13, Mr. Wu Qing – another deputy mayor of Shanghai – said that the city’s goal is to eradicate community infections, which means the disease is only spread in isolation wards. Besides fighting the virus, the city will also prioritize issues about the elderly, children and students, in which will reopen schools as soon as possible so students can take exams.

China has so far resolutely implemented the “zero COVID” policy. Reacting to the recent statement of the World Health Organization (WHO) that this approach is not sustainable in the face of emerging variants, Beijing asserts that its anti-epidemic policy is “scientific and effective”. .

Shanghai sees ‘light at the end of the tunnel’

TTO – Shanghai city is witnessing positive developments such as the number of new infections falling in a row, a large number of patients being discharged, and some makeshift hospitals gradually closing.