Shanghai walks out of coronavirus confinement and Beijing remains on the defensive

Shanghai moved cautiously on Saturday with plans to restore parts of its transportation network, an important step out of a weeks-long COVID-19 lockdown as Beijing maintained its defenses against an outbreak that has persisted for a month. .

The quarantine in Shanghai since the beginning of April has dealt a severe economic blow to the most populous city in China and has sparked a debate on the sustainability of the national zero policy covid.

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Unlike the financial center, beijing it has refrained from imposing a citywide lockdown, but with only dozens of new cases a day compared to the tens of thousands in Shanghai at its peak.

Even so, the controls and the endless massive tests imposed in the capital China they have destabilized its economy and disrupted normal life.

While beijing was still mired in anguish covidShanghai workers were disinfecting subway stations and trains ahead of the planned reopening of four subway lines on Sunday.

Although the service will have limited hours, it will allow residents to move between the districts and satisfy the need to connect with the train stations and one of the city’s two airports. More than 200 bus lines will also reopen.

Underscoring the level of caution, Shanghai authorities said travelers will be screened for abnormally high body temperatures and will have to show negative PCR results within 48 hours.

Municipal health authorities reported on Saturday that 868 new local cases were detected in Shanghai on Friday, up from 858 the day before, which is a far cry from last month’s peak of daily cases.

No new cases were found outside the quarantined areas, down from three the day before, health authorities added.

The city of 25 million people has gradually reopened malls, convenience stores and wholesale markets and allowed more people to leave their homes.

Source: Elcomercio

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