Smallest risk areas showcase China’s precise, flexible prevention policy

A 20-square-meter milk tea shop in downtown Shanghai was upgraded to a mediumrisk area on Thursday, which once again won Chinese netizens’ applause over China’s precise and targeted containment measures against COVID-19, and also a refute toward Western media’s blaming of China’s “lockdown” policies.

The Global Times found on Friday morning that the milk tea store and its neighboring rice noodle stall were cordoned off. A hair salon and a China Mobile store on the same road appeared to be operating normally.

“It’s well said that Shanghai’s COVID-19 prevention and control measures are like catching a mouse in a china shop,” a woman whose office is close to the milk tea store told the Global Times on Friday.

The hashtag “Shanghai’s milky tea shop has become the world’s smallest medium-risk region for COVID-19” has gained over 48 million clicks on Chinese-twitter like Sina Weibo.

Western media has never stopped blaming and defaming China’s “lockdown” policies. An AP story published on Tuesday claimed that the country’s policies disrupt people’s lives and emergency medical treatment for some.

In fact, precise and targeted containment against COVID-19 has never been a slogan, and good examples can be found in many cities such as Omicron-hit city Tianjin. Along with quick and early epidemiological investigation, massive screenings, local authorities are trying their best to maintain the stable and normal functioning of society, experts said.

On January 9, a building in a residential community in Tianjin rather than a whole community was classified as a high-risk area for COVID-19.

Precise measures were taken to detect the epidemic in the first place. It reflects the country’s capacity and warmth in prevention and control of the epidemic, another netizen wrote, noting that it is the greatest warmth that preventive measures will not impact the lives of residents.