‘Zero-Covid’ but millions in lockdown

SHANGHAI yesterday declared it had achieved “zero-Covid” across all its districts, sparking derision on social media as millions in China’s biggest city remained under lockdown.

Confronted with its worst outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic, China – the last major economy still closed off to the world – put the city of 25 million under heavy restrictions in early April.

The government’s insistence on squashing the Omicron-variant-driven outbreak prompted rare protests and angry scuffles with authorities as Shanghai residents reject the prolonged confinement and food shortages. “All 16 districts of Shanghai have already achieved zero-Covid at the community level,” Shanghai health commission official Zhao Dandan told reporters yesterday. That means none of the over 1 000 new infections recorded yesterday was detected outside of quarantined areas, city authorities said.

China’s strategy to achieve zero Covid cases includes strict border closures, lengthy quarantines, mass testing and rapid, targeted lockdowns.

Vice-mayor Chen Tong said on Sunday that the city would gradually reopen businesses starting this week, without giving specifics. But millions in Shanghai were still unable to leave their residential compounds yesterday.

More than 3.8 million people were officially still under the strictest forms of lockdown in the city, according to official figures. Social media erupted in disbelief at the gap between official statements and the reality of life under an enduring lockdown.

“Since society has reached Covidzero, why are people in Songjiang district still only allowed to go out once every two days?” a blogger on the Twitterlike Weibo asked.

In some areas, restrictions have even been quietly tightened. Live video broadcast yesterday by Chinese media showed crowds gathering at Shanghai’s Hongqiao Railway Station as train services leaving the city resumed.

Meanwhile, multiple airlines resumed domestic flights out of Shanghai this week after nearly all routes out of the city were suspended during the outbreak. People are only allowed to leave Shanghai after receiving permission and taking multiple Covid tests.

China has shown no sign of giving up its struggle to maintain zero Covid cases.