An official says Shanghai will try again to reopen in a few days after it has eliminated COVID-19 transmission among the population at large.
Lucas Crouch, an American teacher who has been under lockdown in Shanghai since April 1, discusses living under China’s strict COVID-19 restrictions as he and his wife prepare to welcome a baby.BEIJING -- Shanghai will try again to reopen in a few days after it has eliminated COVID-19 transmission among the general population as the outbreak in China's largest city subsides, an official said Friday.
No exact date beyond the middle of the month was given, nor did Wu say how the reopening would occur except that the city intends to gradually restore industrial production, education and medical services. In Beijing, which has a much smaller outbreak, more daily testing has been ordered, classes have been suspended, people have been ordered to work from home, restaurants are restricted to takeout service, and many shops, tourist sites, banks and government offices are closed.
At a Friday briefing, National Health Commission spokesperson Mi Feng said that while case numbers are dropping, local transmission has not been entirely cut in some places and the situation remains “grim and complex." Experts have questioned the policy's continued use given that vaccines are widely available, and it has affected growth in the world's second largest economy as well as global supply chains.