Xi Jinping's regime will place alarms in the homes of those infected in Shanghai

The eastern Chinese city of Shanghai has stepped up prevention measures at a time that local authorities define as a “critical phase” in the fight against an omicron regrowth that already leaves 36 deaths, after 11 on Thursday.

The mass testing of PCR, one of the pillars of China's strategy against coronavirus along with the closure of borders, the isolation of infected persons and the limitation of movements where cases occur, will increase in certain neighborhoods of the city, depending on their level of contagion.

In addition, the movements of health workers and delivery workers between some urbanizations will be limited to minimizing infections between different communities, according to local media. Likewise, the tasks of disinfection of public spaces have been redoubled and sensors and alarms have been ordered to be placed on the doors of those infected who receive permission to isolate themselves in their homes, according to the Global Times newspaper.

Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chunlan, sent by the central government to Shanghai, called on local authorities to “not rest” until all residents who test positive for covid in the city, of 25 million inhabitants, are tracked, isolated and treated. He urged local officials to soon reach the goal of “zero covid in society” in Shanghai, which refers to the absence of new positive cases outside quarantine centers, hospitals and neighborhoods classified as “high risk”. The city authorities, which has remained partially or totally confined since the end of March, still do not have a reopening date: government representatives explained today that the lockdown will be lifted by parts as infections are eliminated outside quarantine areas.

Despite the discontent shown by many Shanghaians on social media, the authorities explained that the situation “shows a positive trend” and assured that the city will soon return to normal if it adheres to current policies. The tightening of measures is aimed at cutting community transmission of the virus “by the beginning of May,” according to public health expert Chen Xi, quoted by the Global Times. As PCR campaigns intensified, Chen warned of the danger of contagion in the queues prior to such tests.

Some Shanghai residents have assured on social media that in order to reduce the risk of contagion among neighbors, they have been asked to maintain a safe distance during the PCR tests, which in some cases have been carried out door-to-door. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Shanghai has recorded a total of 39,643 symptomatic cases, and 43 deaths.

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