Shanghai sprung back into life, after 2 months of terrible isolation under the brutal COVID-19 lockdown. People come out to driving vehicles again or squeezing into trains and buses to return to work. They are hoping to avoid a repeat of the nightmare.
The 25 million residents of China’s largest and most cosmopolitan city endured two months of frustration, mental stress, and economic loss. As the country defied global consensus and imposed a zero-tolerance policy to stamp out outbreaks. Despite global consensus that COVID can’t be decisively defeated.
“I feel like I’ve regained my freedom”
university student Hang Meichen said
Shanghai’s lockdown may be gone, but China is still using zero-COVID policy. The policy raising fears in the 25-million-strong metropolis that it could happen again.
Mother-of-two Yang Zengdong, 40, is planning a long-awaited outing with her family to commemorate Shanghai’s big re-opening from COVID-19 lockdown on Wednesday.
“I would expect the initial few days of the opening up to see a lot of crowds, but this will also have the effect of keeping other people at home who do not want to risk being in busy areas,”
“I’m not afraid of getting the virus, but I am afraid of a positive test result and centralised quarantine,”
“I think for most people, this is a time to enjoy being outside but also to protect yourself and protect your money. This is not the time to spend and be wasteful.”
Yang Zengdong said
Teacher Yang said life in Shanghai remains tinged with a sense of risk.
Unfortunately for merchants hoping for a “vengeful” return of shoppers such to that witnessed in 2020. When China saw a “V-shaped” rebound after its initial struggle with COVID-19. The excitement that is palpable on newly bustling city streets is tempered by wariness about the future.
Many economists predict the Chinese economy to fall in the second quarter. The recovery reliant on COVID developments with consumers and companies unlikely to regain confidence in the short term.
However, there was some evidence of consumption.
During the lockdown, when they couldn’t always purchase everything they wanted. Rely primarily on group orders of essential goods with neighbors. People went to reopened businesses to buy fresh fruit and vegetables and other products they craved.
Source: Yahoo
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