Shanghai laid out plans on Monday to end a painful Covid-19 lockdown that has lasted more than six weeks and has severely damaged the Chinese economy, with a return to a more normal life from June 1.
In the clearest timeline ever, Deputy Mayor Zong Ming said Shanghai will gradually reopen and remain largely limited to movement until May 21 to prevent infections from returning.
“From June 1 to mid-June, as long as the risks of resumption of infections are contained, we will fully implement epidemic prevention and control, normalize management, and fully restore normal production and life in the city,” he said.
But the announcement was met with skepticism by some Shanghai residents, who were repeatedly disappointed by the change in the schedule to lift restrictions.
On social media platform Weibo, a resident asked, “Shanghai, Shanghai… should I still believe you?” said.
Shanghai’s total lockdown and Covid restrictions on hundreds of millions of consumers and workers in dozens of cities across China have caused economic problems across multiple sectors, raising fears that the economy could shrink in the second quarter.
Increasingly incompatible with the rest of the world, which has lifted the Covid rules, the restrictions are also shaking up global supply chains and international trade.
Data released on Monday showed China’s industrial output and retail sales fell the fastest in more than two years in April.
source: Noticias
