“Covid Zero”: China forces Shanghai residents to move to open quarantine centers in their homes | Globalism

Anyone who shows a positive result is immediately placed in quarantine. But with more than 20,000 new cases a day, authorities are struggling to find enough space for confinement.

In recent weeks, the city has converted exhibition halls and schools into quarantine centers and set up temporary hospitals. Some of the entire residential projects have also been converted into confinement sites.

But with the rate of serious cases of covid-19 dropping, many are beginning to question whether such a drastic lockdown is really necessary, according to BBC correspondents at China.

In recent weeks, many residents have taken to social media to complain about restrictions and food shortages.

People have to beg for food and water and wait for the government to leave vegetables, meat and eggs at their doors, and analysts say supplies are running out.

The extension of the lockdown has put pressure on delivery services, grocery store locations, and even the distribution of government supplies.

According to BBC News Shanghai’s Robin Brant, after three weeks of confinement, people are angry.

The government-led operation that vacated many of their homes to convert apartments into quarantine centers was the straw that broke the camel’s back for some Chinese, he reported.

“A few kilometers away, there was an organized protest, a bold stand-up with the lockdown being settled in a country where you can go to jail for starting a fight. They are angry that a local school has been turned into another quarantine facility. The police kicked them off the streets,” Brant reported.

“It was a small episode, but it is a sign of anger and frustration as this lockdown continues.”

Meanwhile, according to state media, the Chinese government has sent teams to the city to help more than 660 companies in key sectors of the economy, such as semiconductors and auto manufacturing, resume production.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Friday (15/4) that it will ensure the supply of medical products and the normal flow of supply chains.

The move comes on the heels of reports that parts of China It may have to close soon, at least temporarily, because companies have not been able to source essential components from Shanghai.

He Xiaopeng, president of electric car maker XPeng, said that if work in Shanghai does not start in May, all auto plants across the country may be forced to shut down.

The China It is one of the last remaining countries still committed to eradicating COVID-19, unlike most countries in the world that are trying to live with the virus.