China tightens control of COVID-19 in Beijing

Since the end of April, Beijing, a city of 22 million people, has recorded dozens of new COVID-19 cases every day. While new infections were mainly recorded in quarantine areas, a few were still detected in the community, indicating a strong spread of the virus. mutant Omicron and challenges with China’s zero COVID policy.

In Shanghai, the financial and commercial gateway of China, and many other major cities, zero COVID still used by local governments, despite the damage done to the world’s number two economy and global supply chains.

Beijing has stepped up quarantine efforts and tightened controls on workplaces, with many counties requiring or issuing guidelines for teleworking. This move follows a visit on May 23 by Chinese Vice Premier Sun Xuan Lan, who is in charge of COVID-19 response. She called for more radical measures to cut the chains of infection.

Some workplaces have ignored COVID-19 prevention measures and failed to check their employees’ health, creating an opening for the pandemic to spread. “A strong wind can even get into the smallest cracks,” Xinhua said in a commentary on May 25.

“Don’t dare to go far”

During the week, Beijing health authorities sent text messages to people’s phones, urging them to track the travel history of COVID-19 cases and self-report to the local health department if they’ve ever been to a place with a confirmed case. recorded infections.

A Beijing resident surnamed Shi said she tried to avoid moving too far from home, concerned that she might accidentally enter an area with COVID-19 cases, affecting the medical certificate recorded on the phone. The apartment complex she lived in was recently unblocked.

“I basically just walked around the apartment block, to the supermarket and didn’t dare go too far,” she told Reuters.

In other parts of China, many densely populated cities also started mass testing to the people, despite the very low number of COVID-19 infections compared to the world.

The northern port city of Tianjin launched another round of testing today, after more than 10 new infections were recorded this week. Previously, Tianjin carried out two similar tests last weekend. The city government requires 14 million people to move only close to where they live and to practice “relative no travel” during the testing phase.

The northwest city of Xi’an carries out routine mass testing as planned from May 20 to May 25 as the city of 13 million people races to reduce the risk of infection after recording five positive cases within 10 days. via.

Shanghai, which aims to end its lockdown from June 1, is cautiously easing restrictions and allowing more of its 25 million residents to travel. However, many shops, restaurants and businesses are still closed, and remote working is still in place.

After nearly two months of blockade, Shanghai is expected to soon be able to restore the city’s economic dynamism. Exports from Shanghai, the world’s largest container port, fell 44% year-on-year in April, while imports fell more than 30% – the deepest drop since 2011.