Shanghai plans to reopen broadly and allow normal life to resume on June 1st, according to a city official, after announcing that 15 of the city’s 16 districts had eliminated cases outside of quarantine zones.
At a daily online news conference, Deputy Mayor Zong Ming provided the clearest timetable yet for the city’s 25 million residents, who have been frustrated by more than six weeks of lockdowns and inconsistent messaging about when they can resume their lives.
Officials in Shanghai declared the epidemic to be under control, but they also stated that their goal until May 21 would be to prevent a resurgence of infections, implying that many restrictions will remain in place.
Under China’s strict zero-COVID policy, eliminating cases outside of quarantine areas is a prerequisite for returning to normal life.
The city plans to gradually increase domestic flight and rail services, and supermarkets, convenience stores, and pharmacies will reopen on Monday.
The lockdown in Shanghai, as well as COVID restrictions in a number of other Chinese cities, has wreaked havoc on the world’s second-largest economy and disrupted global supply chains.
