Shanghai Struggles Under Covid-19 Lockdown

Shanghai, China —(Map)

After weeks of a very difficult Covid-19  lockdown, some people in Shanghai, China have been allowed to leave their homes. But the government says millions more must remain at home. The outbreak is making people question China’s “zero-Covid” program.

Since the new coronavirus first appeared over two years ago, China has taken strong steps to completely get rid of the virus every time it appears. At times it has been difficult to stick to this strict “zero-Covid” program. That’s especially true with variants that spread easily, like Omicron.

This spring, China has had a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases. Though China’s number of cases is small compared to many countries, it’s a huge challenge to China’s zero-Covid program.

With 26 million people, more people live in Shanghai than in any other city in China. In early March, a wave of Omicron cases began to sweep the city.

Starting March 28, most businesses in the city were closed, and people were told to remain at home. In general, people are only let out of their homes to be tested for Covid-19. To help handle the epidemic, China has built at least 100 temporary hospitals with enough beds for 160,000 patients.

But the outbreak hasn’t ended. The city has had over 20,000 cases a day for several days in a row. Some experts outside the country think there may be far more cases than the government is reporting.

For those in lockdown in Shanghai, things have become extremely difficult. Many people have complained that they don’t have enough food, or can’t get the medicine that they need. In the early days of the lockdown, the government even separated sick children from healthy parents. This shocked and upset many people.

Because of strict government control in China, it’s unusual for people to complain publicly. But in recent days, many people have been complaining loudly about the government’s handling of the situation.

For those in lockdown in Shanghai, things have become extremely difficult. Many people have complained that they don’t have enough food, or can’t get the medicine they need. Above, volunteers deliver vegetables that the local government is providing to people in the area.

Now the city has released around 6.6 million people from lockdown. Millions more people will still have to remain at home until their area goes two weeks without any new cases.

The long lockdown in Shanghai is expected to be felt far beyond the city itself. Shanghai is home to many large factories which ship products around the world. Many of these factories have been shut for weeks. Shanghai is also an important port. Some experts say that Shanghai’s port is only handling 60% of the products it normally handles.

Though the situation in Shanghai has gotten the most attention, at least 45 cities in China are reported to be fully or partly locked down. The news group Reuters reports that lockdowns currently affect over 25% of China’s people.

Shanghai’s lockdown is likely to be felt far beyond the city itself. Many of Shanghai’s large factories, which ship products around the world, have been shut for weeks. Above, even with some people released from lockdown, Shanghai’s roads were nearly empty on Tuesday.

Anger over the lockdowns is putting extra pressure on a government that doesn’t like to admit mistakes. Though President Xi Jinping says China will stick with its zero-Covid program, many people are questioning this decision. But Mr. Xi may feel like he can’t afford to look weak or wrong now. Later this year, he’s expected to become the first person to ever ask for a third term as China’s president.