Four Months After Strict Lockdown, Zero COVID Cases In Beijing And Shanghai

New Delhi: It took four months of strict lockdown for Shanghai and Beijing, China’s two largest cities to contain COVID-19. Both the financial hub and the capital recorded zero new locally-transmitted Covid infections on Monday, the first time the two cities had no virus freely circulating since February 19.

China reported just 22 cases, according to the National Health Commission, Bloomberg reported. Exhaustive testing and restrictions on daily life impacted every facet of society and the economy during the four months.

Halting local circulation of the virus required harsh measures to root out infections and halt chains of transmission. In Shanghai, which last reported no new community cases on February 23, more than 25 million residents endured a two-month lockdown. Targeted restrictions, extensive contact tracing and regular testing are now widespread in both cities.

Most pandemic restrictions in Beijing, which last reported zero cases on April 16, are on track to be eased and students will be allowed to return to in-person school on Monday. But there is a new normal.

Residents are required to show a green code on a mobile app that tracks their health status, and take a Covid test every three days to enter any public venue, including restaurants, shops, and mass transportation. Even kids aged over three must be tested to play in the park.

Elsewhere in the country, the technology hub Shenzhen reported five local cases on Monday, after the Futian district that borders Hong Kong was locked down for three days. All non-essential businesses were shut and residents have been banned from leaving their compounds, Bloomberg reported.