More than two months later, the restrictions expire.

It was only supposed to last nine days: a quarantine with drastic restrictions on the coronavirus to mitigate the impact on Shanghai’s economy – at least that’s what Chinese state media said. However, the prison lasted 65 days.

And now, more than two months later, the restrictions are coming to an end.

For the 25 million people living in Shanghai, this relief is huge.

For two months, many families lived together behind closed doors, workers lived in factories without a break from working in tents, shop and restaurant owners saw their livelihoods interrupted, thousands of people were forced to leave their homes and remain in quarantine.

All this, even with the population vaccinated against covid-19.

Now Shanghai is reopening in full swing: business, transportation, production and consumption. However, the restrictions will not be lifted completely.

Restrictions are being relaxed significantly to allow freedom of movement in the city, but at least 650,000 residents are confined to their homes located in areas classified as “closed”.

However, basic transport services were restored. Most of the stores have reopened despite operating at 75% capacity.

Restaurants may also turn to catering, but inside dining is not allowed.

Cinemas, museums and academia remain closed. Many children will not return to face-to-face classes.

Freedoms granted after more than two months are subject to certain conditions. These conditions are designed so that the government can continuously monitor who is where, when and how healthy.

All residents will now be required to show a green health code on their phone before leaving their apartment or building and entering most establishments.

Anyone considering traveling by public transport within the city or going to the bank, restaurant or grocery store should have a negative PCR test within 72 hours.

Leaving the city is still problematic. Although most of the movement restrictions in Shanghai have been lifted, the restrictions on leaving the city remain.

Any resident traveling to another city in China faces a 7-14 day quarantine upon return.

For now, flying abroad from Shanghai is easier than traveling an hour on the rails on a high-speed train to Hangzhou.

Without giving up on the ‘Covid zero’ strategy

For some, these are difficult but necessary measures to contain Covid-19 and respect President Xi Jinping’s “covid zero” strategy, which currently prevents the forced return of the virus detected in the country.

For others, this strategy has been a national and international restraint fueled by political fervor that has had an incalculable impact on the people who live and work here.

Each new confirmed case of covid-19 in Shanghai means that patients are taken to a hospital or quarantine centre.

Close contacts also face the possibility of being quarantined and re-demarcated.

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