Coronavirus restrictions lifted in Beijing from tomorrow

Beijing authorities have announced the lifting of several restrictions imposed by a covid-19 outbreak in the city, following a month in which the 22-million-strong population of the Chinese capital was worried about a lockdown.

Outbreaks were reported in Beijing in late April, with more than 1,900 cases reported, a particularly high number for China, which has a strict zero-covid policy.

In order to stem the spread of the disease, authorities announced in early May the suspension of schools, non-essential shops and public spaces, while restaurants could only offer packaged food. Residents, who underwent diagnostic tests almost daily, were called to work from home.

After easing some measures in recent days, Beijing City Hall announced the gradual return of the city’s residents to work from tomorrow Monday and the reopening of schools on June 13. From tomorrow, the restaurants will receive customers again, while the means of public transport will operate normally again. However, those who use them should have a negative test for up to 72 hours.

Strict restrictions will remain in place in two areas of Beijing, said the authorities of the Chinese capital, who announced today 19 new cases of covid-19.

China continues to implement the zero covid-19 strategy and imposes quarantine and lockdown immediately after the occurrence of some cases.

Thanks to this policy, a large number of deaths have been avoided, but it has hit companies hard, especially after the imposition of the lockdown in Shanghai in April.

After two months of strict lockdown, the 25 million inhabitants of the city can move freely from Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands more were forced into quarantine after new cases were identified.