Shanghai plans to gradually lift its citywide COVID-19 lockdown in phases starting from Wednesday, according to two people familiar with the matter. The city government will announce details of the plan on Monday, said the people, who asked not to be named as the information is not yet public. Under the plan, some residential compounds where all residents have tested negative for COVID-19 and have not had any contact with positive cases in the past two weeks will be allowed to lift their lockdowns. Residents in these compounds will be allowed to leave their homes and move around within their residential areas, but will not be allowed to leave their districts. Public transportation, including buses and subways, will resume operations in these areas, and some businesses, such as supermarkets and pharmacies, will be allowed to reopen. The gradual easing of the lockdown will be implemented in phases, with the city government monitoring the situation closely and making adjustments as needed. The city of Shanghai has been under a strict lockdown since March 28, with all residents ordered to stay home and non-essential businesses closed. The lockdown has caused widespread disruption to the city’s economy and residents’ lives. The number of new COVID-19 cases in Shanghai has been declining in recent days, with the city reporting 4,384 new cases on Sunday, down from a peak of over 20,000 cases per day in mid-April. The city has also been ramping up its vaccination campaign, with over 90% of the population now fully vaccinated. The easing of the lockdown will come as a relief to many Shanghai residents, who have been under strict stay-at-home orders for over a month. However, it is important to note that the pandemic is still ongoing, and residents should continue to take precautions to protect themselves and others from infection. Additional reporting by Brenda Goh in Shanghai; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Lincoln Feast Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles..
Exclusive: Shanghai plans to ease COVID lockdown in phases
