• The Chinese metropolis has been confined very strictly since the beginning of April.

  • French expatriates organize themselves through solidarity so as not to run out of food.

  • But even in “prevention zones”, where residents are supposed to be able to move freely, restrictions remain.

“No second round either in Shanghai…”, regrets François *, expatriate in the Chinese city.

The consulate warned this Friday morning that the 8,000 French residents in Shanghai, already deprived of the first round, will not be able to slip their ballot for the presidential duel on Sunday.

A restriction that adds to an already long list.

Because since the beginning of April on the spot, life seems to be suspended at the goodwill of the Chinese power.

The economic center is experiencing the largest increase in Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.

And, as in other cities, strict confinement with no end date has been imposed.

An illustration of the “Zero Covid” strategy to which the authorities remain attached, unlike many countries which opt for cohabitation with the virus and have lifted the restrictions.

But how long will Beijing hold out?

“Solidarity within the building and between French people is working at full capacity”

“We were, like almost all downtown residences, confined for two days around March 13.

Then again two days.

Then four, to engage directly in indefinite confinement, recalls François, who has lived for twenty years in Shanghai.

“Telework, distance learning for children, mandatory PCR test every day in the hall of the residence… the litany of life in parentheses is still relevant for these expatriates.

The inhabitants seem increasingly exasperated by the difficulties of access to food.

Some videos on social media show people protesting for some vegetables.

“There are a lot of brakes on supplies, but we haven't had any real problems where we are, nuances this expatriate.

In Shanghai, deliveries are common and at the moment almost everything is done through group purchases between neighbors.

It is therefore intra-building solidarity, and also between French people, that works at full capacity, everyone sharing the good plans.

»

Food shortages?

Others are less well off, recognizes this expatriate.

“There are obviously incidents in certain neighborhoods that are less well treated and less well served, problems of shortages where deliveries do not reach, elderly people who are poorly connected who do not know how to join purchasing groups or claim deliveries. which are due to them.

»

And even if hunger is not a problem, going around in circles in the apartment begins to weigh on morale.

Especially since these French people do not know when they will be able to move again.

“It seems to be open-ended at this stage, confirms François.

In fact, it will only depend on the epidemic curve… ”

Is the situation improving?

Precisely, where is the epidemic?

As in many countries, the Omicron wave appears very contagious, but not very lethal: out of 18,036 new cases announced on April 20, 15,961 were asymptomatic.

And out of 410,000 people who have tested positive since the beginning of March, 25, all with serious comorbidities, have died.

And the latest news can make you optimistic.

“The peak seems to have been reached and a beginning of a decline is perceptible, specifies the consulate in a situation update published Thursday afternoon.

The number of new daily positive cases has dropped below 20,000 since April 18, and there are now more people coming out of quarantine or hospitalization than new positive cases.

After a new screening campaign, the authorities announced new areas of the city "liberated", with the release of 4 million additional people from completely confined neighborhoods.

In addition, a number of stores are reopening.

Residents "liberated" only on paper

But behind the announcements, the reality seems more mixed.

A week ago, the city was divided into zones: residents of "strict control" areas and "controlled areas" will remain confined to their homes.

In the “prevention zones”, on the other hand, if no case has been reported in the last fourteen days, the inhabitants can move freely.

But many have complained on social media about not being allowed to leave their neighborhoods.

“We have been placed in a “prevention zone”, therefore in theory released, continues our interlocutor.

But since then, the vice has tightened: it is now the Neighborhood Committee that tells us to stay at home, lest we become “positive cases””.

Since April 18, we can only go out in the residence and no longer in the street.

What the consulate confirms: “Most of the residences located in the “precautionary zone”, where it is in principle possible to move outside the home, remain confined.

»

Another concern: the conditions in the isolation centers where, according to the consulate, “the conditions of comfort, hygiene and privacy are very unequal”.

François and his family fortunately did not have to live there.

And what has caused a lot of ink to flow is the drama that families have experienced, separated when a child was infected.

“After the intervention of European diplomats, the separation of young children from their families was a priori put an end to.

Or rather authorization was given to an adult, even “negative”, to accompany his child placed in isolation because “positive”, specifies François.

Due to the lack of space, there are also families who have been left at home, provided they do not move at all.

»

*Name has been changed.

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  • Health

  • Covid-19

  • Coronavirus

  • Shanghai

  • China