Shanghai reported nearly 25,000 locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Sunday and sought to assure locked-down residents of China’s most populous city that supply bottlenecks affecting availability of food and other items would ease, reports U.S News.
About Zero tolerance policy
Streets remained largely silent in the city of 26 million people as curbs under its “zero tolerance” policy allow only healthcare workers, volunteers, delivery personnel or those with special permission to move freely.
The official Xinhua news agency on Sunday warned that an easing of China’s “dynamic zero-COVID approach” could be “disastrous”, given the danger the Omicron variant posed to people with underlying health conditions, the elderly and unvaccinated.
“China’s medical system would risk a collapse leading to enormous loss of life if it gives up on epidemic prevention and control,” Xinhua said.
China is sticking with its approach even as other countries seek to live with the virus. Heavy measures such as the separation of COVID-positive children from their parents – a practice it eased last week – have sparked criticism domestically and expressions of concern from diplomats.
Late on Saturday China’s foreign ministry expressed “strong dissatisfaction” with the United States after it raised concerns over China’s coronavirus control measures.
Road closures
Videos posted online showed residents struggling with security personnel and hazmat-suited medical staff at some compounds in recent days, with occupants shouting that they needed food.
While the city government has been distributing food, many residents have complained that deliveries are insufficient.
Residents of other cities have expressed fear in social media groups that their areas might enter lockdowns, sharing screenshots of maps showing closed highways in many parts of the country.
China’s transport ministry said on Saturday that it was working with other government departments on standardising highway checkpoints because restrictions at local levels were causing congestion for critical supplies.
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Source: U.S News
