With lockdown over, Shanghai revives after two months of Covid-19 lockdown

Shanghai came back to life on Wednesday after two months of isolation under a relentless Covid-19 lockdown, with shops reopening and people returning to offices, parks and markets, hoping never to experience a similar ordeal again.

For many of the 25 million residents who were finally able to experience the outdoors again in China’s largest and most cosmopolitan city, life on the streets felt like a flashback to a distant memory.

Cars were back on the roads as passengers boarded trains and buses again.

Runners, skaters and dog walkers defied the sweltering heat to stroll through the riverside parks.

There was the joy of being reunited with people close by, the relief of being able to buy anything, but also the wariness of another potential outbreak as people licked their wounds after a prolonged period of frustration, stress and economic loss.

A Shanghai resident surnamed Dong, who was drinking beer with a friend in the city’s former French Concession neighborhood, was not in a celebratory mood.

“It’s not like the happiness you feel when you welcome the New Year. It is very complicated. The last two months have not been easy for anyone,” she said. “I’m happy because I can see my friend, but when I was alone I really wanted to cry.”

The Shanghai lockdown was the result of China’s “Covid Zero” strategy to eradicate outbreaks at any cost, as the country went against the global consensus that coexistence with the virus was inevitable.

There was a visible fear that Covid-19 – and with it, strict restrictions on social life – could return. Police officers and staff at tables facing the public were wearing full protective suits. Many passengers wore gloves and face shields. Everyone wore masks.

There were also long lines at PCR testing sites, with residents needing recent negative results to take public transport and enter various buildings, and many queued at vaccination centers.

Cafes like Starbucks and SBUX.O have reopened, but restaurants remain largely banned, stores can operate at only 75% capacity and gyms will reopen later.

As people returned to the malls, they mostly restricted themselves to small pleasures, avoiding flashy expenses.

“This is a time to enjoy being outdoors, but also to protect yourself and your money,” said Professor Yang Zengdong. “This is not the time to spend and waste. I’m not afraid of catching the virus, but I’m afraid of a positive result and a centralized quarantine.” he said.