As cases of novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) spread in Beijing, China, authorities are conducting large-scale nucleic acid (PCR) tests on about 16.5 million residents.
According to US NPR News and Reuters, Chinese health authorities started a large-scale PCR test on residents in Beijing’s Chaoyang District on the 26th (local time). From this afternoon, PCR testing will be expanded to all regions except for five outlying regions. As a result, 16.5 million of Beijing’s 22 million residents, or three-quarters, are expected to be tested for COVID-19.
For five days from this day to the 30th, the authorities targeted residents in 11 districts including City Hall, Dongcheng, Haidian, Fengtai, Shunyi, Shijingshan, Changping, Tongzhou, Daxing and Jingkai. We plan to conduct an inspection.
In a statement the previous day, the health authorities urged, “Residents should voluntarily cooperate with the corona test and refrain from moving as much as possible until the results are available.”
The authorities also said, “We recommend flexible work, such as remote work, for each company,” adding, “Conventions, forums, and events such as receptions should be suspended.”
The large-scale testing comes in response to the spread of COVID-19 in Beijing. In Chaoyang District, where about 3.5 million people live, 11 confirmed cases the day before, 1230 were classified as close contacts and put under management control.
In Beijing, where there have been no confirmed cases due to the ‘zero corona’ policy for a while, 15 confirmed cases were reported on the 23rd. In addition, a total of 46 new confirmed cases were found by PCR testing started in Chaoyang District, and this number is expected to increase further in the future.
Accordingly, residents living or working in Chaoyang District must undergo nucleic acid testing three times on the 25th, 27th and 29th.
Residents of Beijing are starting to stock up in preparation for a food shortage, fearing that it will lead to a long-term lockdown like in Shanghai. A citizen living in Beijing also said that he bought eggs and vegetables that day and would like to provide enough food to children if they have to self-isolate.
Another citizen said, “People are anxious. We are concerned that the items will be sold out because everyone is buying.”
Large supermarkets in Beijing are doing everything they can to prepare for a shortage of inventory.
Citing local media, Reuters reported that stocks of large supermarkets such as Carrefour and Umart have more than doubled and that they have extended business hours on Sunday. Meituan, China’s largest delivery service company, is also increasing its staff for delivery. The supply bottleneck for major foodstuffs in Shanghai, which is currently under lockdown, is due to a lack of delivery personnel.
However, if the lockdown is imposed on Beijing, the ripple effect on the economy will be less, Reuters reported.
Jörg Utke, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, told Reuters in an interview with Reuters that the impact on businesses would be relatively small if Beijing were to impose a lockdown. Because it loses,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, in Shanghai, the death toll from COVID-19 reached 52 on the 25th, breaking the record high every day. Accordingly, the authorities are further strengthening quarantine measures, such as installing green fences around the apartments.
(Seoul = News 1)
