Shanghai, Beijing Hit With New COVID Lockdowns

China's commercial hub of Shanghai and national capital Beijing were subjected to new lockdowns and rounds of mass testing on Friday, June 10, 2022, just days after grueling restrictions were lifted, Shweta Sharma reported for The Independent of the UK.

Photo Insert: Beijing has been adamant in sticking with its zero-COVID policy.

Shanghai authorities have imposed a lockdown on millions of people in five districts in a desperate attempt to control a larger outbreak after discovering some community transmission cases and a cluster.

The cluster was traced back to the Red Rose, a well-known beauty parlor, less than 10 days after a strict city-wide lockdown was lifted on June 1. On Thursday, June 9, three parlor employees tested positive for the coronavirus.

Over the weekend, mass-testing drives were made mandatory for all residents of 14 of Shanghai's 16 districts, with residents in these areas being ordered to stay at home. Green fences and red wooden boards have sprouted up to barricade residents in the central district of Xuhui, igniting a new wave of public outrage.

People rushed to grocery stores and online platforms to stock up on food and essentials in anticipation of another lockdown.

Shanghai, a city of 26 million people, was hit with a grueling and strict city-wide lockdown for a month, fueling widespread frustration and even rare protests among residents amid complaints about a shortage of food, groceries, and medicines – all of which were supplied by local authorities.

WEEKLY FEATURE : MVP Group Keeps Lights On During Pandemic