Mass PCR screening on in 9 Shanghai districts

MASS nucleic acid screening of COVID-19 will be conducted in nine districts in Shanghai, and neighborhoods will be locked down before the results come out in some districts.

The city’s COVID-19 prevention and control authority said yesterday evening that the districts with new positive cases or subdistricts and towns where infections have been found must do mass polymerase chain reaction screening at least twice in three days.

The mass PCR tests will be conducted twice in Huangpu, Xuhui, Changning, Jing’an, Putuo, Hongkou, Yangpu, Minhang and Baoshan districts — as well as some parts of other districts through Thursday.

Every resident, including those in street shops and hotels, is subject to mandatory testing. A 24-hour negative PCR report is required to leave the community, companies, or venues during the screening, it said.

Baoshan District initially announced the launch of mass PCR tests for three days in a row from yesterday, followed by the Pudong New Area, Yangpu and Hongkou.

The Baoshan government released the notices yesterday morning about the continuous testing, which aims to “contain the transmission risk of the COVID-19.”

Baoshan and Yangpu, both in the city’s north, said neighborhood compounds and villages would be put under lockdown when the testing began and until the results come out.

Staff are also required to show their 24-hour PCR report at workplaces and avoid going to public places, the district governments said.

Baoshan had already launched three rounds of PCR screening between Thursday and Saturday. In a previous notice, the suburban district asked residents to reduce dining at restaurants or gathering at public places. Some eateries, cinemas and enclosed venues will be closed temporarily.

Companies, office parks and office buildings in Baoshan are encouraged to stagger working hours or let employees work from home.

PCR screening will be conducted today and on Wednesday in Pudong. Residents must have a 48-hour PCR test result to leave their communities, the Pudong government said.

There are currently seven high-risk areas and about 50 medium-risk areas citywide.