It was supposed to be over on Wednesday, but things turned out differently: the authorities extended the corona lockdown in the mega-metropolis of Chengdu.
Most of the city’s 21 million residents in the southwestern province of Sichuan are still restricted from leaving their homes. City officials said the city as a whole will “continue their attack toward zero proliferation.” Therefore, the lockdown declared a week ago will be extended by another week.
The lockdown was imposed after several hundred corona infections were registered in Chengdu. Now it was said that “the fruits of the city’s anti-epidemic measures” are already showing, but there is still a risk of infection in some areas.
All residents who are under lockdown should therefore continue to take a daily corona test. Only one resident per household is allowed to leave the apartment to do essential shopping.
China is the only major economy in the world to pursue a strict zero-Covid strategy. Even if there are only a few new infections, lockdowns, mass tests and strict quarantines are imposed. The strict anti-corona measures are also affecting the economy.
In Chengdu, the Swedish carmaker Volvo had to temporarily stop production last week. Also problematic for the global economy: In Chengdu there is a large factory for the Apple supplier Foxconn, which produces iPads and MacBooks, and the company Jabil, which manufactures components for MacBooks.
