Brenda Goh and Ryan Woo

BEIJING/SHANGHAI – China’s capital Beijing tightened COVID regulations on Sunday to combat an outbreak. Shanghai, however, allowed some 25 million people to go outside for light and air following a report of zero infection in quarantine areas.

Shanghai’s March outbreak was the worst in China since the beginning of the 2020 pandemic. To great public outrage, hundreds of thousands were infected.

In a year in which Xi Jinping will be seeking a unprecedented third term, the outbreak in China’s largest city is a test of the government’s zero COVID approach.

Beijing is still battling a flurry of infections daily in the midst of an epidemic that has now reached its 10th birthday. Since April 22, more than 300 cases of locally transmitted disease have been recorded.

However, on Sunday the capital tightened rules regarding social distancing and started a new round in mass testing its most populous area.

The city of 22,000,000 has been conducting mass tests in 16 of its districts. It also suspended entertainment venues and prohibited restaurant dining.

It is hard to believe that all this will have such an impact on our lives. We lost 20,000 yuan (roughly $3000) just a few days ago. Jia was a manager in a popular Beijing-area burger place.

Jia asked to be identified by only his surname, “Our boss is stressed out about it too,” Jia stated. We have three branches in Shanghai. All three branches in Shanghai have been closed and are now losing money for over a month. This is what we have now.

Beijing’s Universal Studios amusement park was closed for business on Sunday. However, in Badaling, the Great Wall, people were required to prove negative COVID results prior to entering.

Chaoyang District, which is responsible for most of the infections during Beijing’s pandemic, initiated an additional round in mass testing. Health workers knocked at doors to remind people to test.

SHANGHAI: ANGER

Shanghai has been under lockdown in its entirety since April, causing havoc for the city’s residents. There are concerns about safety and food security as well as the possibility of being quarantined if they contract the virus.

There have been outrage at extreme measures taken to protect residential properties, which included fencing off entrances.

Some people have taken to social media as a way to vent their anger. Others made noises outside of their homes and some clashed against public health staff.

Do you hear people singing? A popular protest song is “Do you hear them sing?” from Les Miserables. An online video featuring a Chinese orchestra singing the song and the performers performing at their own homes was shared nearly 19,000 times before it was removed.

Shanghai officials spoke confidently on Sunday, saying that while much of Shanghai remains under lockdown they would ease restrictions in certain areas once the city has reduced COVID transmission risks to the community, and excluded cases from quarantine centres.

Gu Honghui, an official of the City Government, said that six out 16 areas achieved zero COVID status. That means three days without any new daily infections.

Five districts will allow public transport to be resumed, however residents need not leave their homes while visiting pharmacies, hospitals and supermarkets.

Fengxian’s streets, one the six districts in question, were photographed on social media as filled with pedestrians. The videos could not be independently verified by Reuters.

However, despite falling transmissions Shanghai will start a new round citywide antigen and PCR tests starting Sunday through May 7.

China had 8,256 local new cases on Saturday. This is a decrease of 10,703 cases from the previous day. Beijing had 59 cases while Shanghai reported 7,872 additional infections and the 38 national deaths.

($1 = 6.6080 renminbi)