Shanghai announces “lifting of lockdown” Mixed feelings among citizens

After two months of lockdown, Shanghai, China’s business hub and a global trading metropolis, has begun to relax strict containment measures imposed because of the novel coronavirus strain.

From midnight local time on Tuesday (June 1), the measures were relaxed. The Shanghai government allows most people to move freely around the city of about 25 million. The state media’s “fireworks” of Shanghai’s prosperity are back.

But at least 650,000 more residents will remain confined to their homes.

In addition, China’s “zero out policy” against the epidemic continues. People infected with COVID-19 will be quarantined or sent to makeshift hospitals, even close contacts of infected people will be transferred to quarantine, and the area around the infected person’s residence will be sealed off again.

From Taiwan, in Shanghai for many years in their 30 s white-collar Mr Liu told the BBC Chinese, the eve of the city officially reopened, he was near to the community for a walk, he with their cell phones for many isolations fence process of equipment removal, he told reporters his mood is mixed, with “prison” to describe the traffic control during the period of Shanghai residents’ psychological feelings.

Many people confessed to foreign media that they had been depressed for two months. But Mr. Liu emphasized that he praised Shanghainese for being especially courageous and willing to voice their opinions and criticisms when their personal lives were seriously affected.

In addition, many Shanghai residents or migrant workers flocked to the station, preparing to leave Shanghai or return to their hometown. At Shanghai’s Hongqiao station, many people are sleeping rough, especially penniless migrant workers desperate to return to their hometowns, according to Chinese media outlet Thepaper.cn. Many volunteers have come to help with the epidemic and distribute food to migrant workers who have lost all their jobs because of the lockdown.

The middle class, who have lived in Shanghai for many years, are also beginning to leave the city under the pretext of studying abroad or working.

A woman surnamed Lian (not her real name), who has lived in Shanghai for many years, started a family there and had a son born a few years ago. She and her family had been preparing to move before the pandemic because of work concerns, as the lockdown disrupted their travel schedule but reinforced their determination to leave.
“Having lived in many cities in China and abroad, Shanghai seems to me the best choice to balance my comfort with my career prospects,” she told BBC Chinese. But this containment policy and all kinds of chaos, let me feel disappointed and despair… Realizing that it is still a Chinese city that can’t stand on its own in exceptional circumstances.”

Ms. Lian said her “temporary escape” was a last resort, but she realized her love for Shanghai. “May she be healed and treated well. We’ll be back.” She said.