Topline
Authorities in Beijing have ordered nearly 20 million of its residents to undergo mass Covid-19 testing starting Tuesday—expanding an effort that began in the city’s business district a day earlier—as they try to clamp down on the rapid spread of the coronavirus in a desperate effort to avoid a citywide lockdown similar to the controversial one implemented in Shanghai.
People queue up for COVID-19 nucleic acid tests at Beijing Lize Financial Business District in … [+]
Key Facts
On Monday, the city began testing 3.45 million residents of Chaoyang—its most populous district—and then announced that mass testing will be expanded to cover 19.5 million of the city’s 21.5 million population.
According to China’s National Health Commission, Beijing reported 33 new Covid-19 cases, adding to the tally of 47 cases reported since Saturday.
Xu Hejian, a spokesperson for the city’s government, warned the outbreak in Beijing is “coming fast and furious” and pandemic control efforts in the city have “reached a critical moment.”
Several residential compounds across the city have been shut down by authorities and the city’s residents have been urged not to leave Beijing unless absolutely necessary.
The mass testing announcement triggered panic buying in the city on Monday, amid fears that Beijing could face a lengthy lockdown similar to Shanghai which has reported more than 300,000 cases this month.
Despite the loosening of some restrictions, most residents of Shanghai still remain either confined to their homes or residential compounds, as the city’s lockdown approaches one month.
Big Number
190. That’s the total number of deaths Shanghai has reported since the start of its current outbreak, with the city reporting 52 deaths on Tuesday. Despite the toll being steep by China’s standards—the country officially reported only 2 Covid deaths in 2021—some have questioned its accuracy.
Further Reading
Beijing began mass testing residents in its largest district on Monday after city officials warned the virus had been spreading undetected in the Chinese capital for nearly a week. While public transport and schools in the city remain open, some public venues like stadiums, cinemas, karaoke bars and others have been ordered to shut down. While the case count in Beijing remains relatively low at the moment, local authorities are trying to avoid a Shanghai-style upward spiral in infections. China’s current outbreak has been driven by the highly infectious BA.2 Omicron variant of the virus. Despite this, Chinese officials have vowed to stick to their “Zero-Covid” approach. However, the economic impact of the Shanghai lockdown—which hasn’t fully managed to stomp out the virus in the city—has raised questions about the continued viability of such an effort. Additionally, the stringent nature of Shanghai’s lockdown has prompted anger and frustration among its residents, as they battled food shortages and stringent quarantine measures.
Further Reading
Beijing enforces mass COVID testing, closes neighborhoods (Associated Press)
Beijing to test 20 mln for COVID in bid to avert Shanghai lockdown misery (Reuters)
Beijing tests 20 million residents amid ‘fast and furious’ Omicron outbreak (CNN)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/04/26/beijing-expands-covid-mass-testing-to-nearly-20-million-residents-as-it-races-to-avoid-shanghai-style-lockdown/