Beijing residents were unable to take advantage of the mild thermometer and the May Day holiday.

Health restrictions continue to disrupt daily life in the Chinese capital, where the authorities are cracking down on around fifty Covid-19 contaminations every day.

Far from the heat of summer or the rigors of winter, the Chinese capital is currently experiencing its most beautiful season of the year, with mild temperatures, blue skies and flowering trees.

But for many Beijingers, the five-day vacation on May 1 was reduced to short walks near their homes, as restaurants, cafes, museums or gymnasiums are closed and outings of the city discouraged.

Daily screening

Faced with an epidemic wave that has affected a large part of the country in different ways since March, residents are also forced to undergo daily, free screening in small tents erected in the streets.

As elsewhere in China, the capital, populated by 22 million people, applies a “zero Covid” strategy.

It consists in particular of building confinements and massive screenings to quickly break the chains of contamination.

The Health Ministry reported 50 new positive cases in Beijing on Thursday.

A stable figure for a few days.

A “still normal” life

The authorities had called the day before residents and employees of the district of Chaoyang, headquarters of the business district and populated by 3.5 million people, to telecommute or go to the office by car or bicycle.

Comings and goings remain free in Beijing.

But almost all performance halls, cinemas and sports halls are closed as well as around sixty metro stations.

While most restaurants continue to operate, they can only offer take-out or delivery.

For Feng Yinhao, an employee of a massage parlor in the district of Chaoyang, life in Beijing remains “still normal” compared to Shanghai (east), the largest city in the country.

The specter of Shanghai

Beijing also announced on Wednesday a slight relaxation for international travelers, authorized to leave quarantine after 10 days at the hotel and seven days at home – against a total of 21 days previously.

A decision taken because the Omicron variant, the majority in China, has a shorter incubation period and generally milder symptoms, said the spokesperson for the town hall.

The Beijing authorities are careful not to imitate the Chinese economic capital, where a general confinement since the beginning of April has created strong popular discontent.

In particular, the inhabitants lack fresh produce.

"The current situation in Beijing, people can accept it," Zhan Jun, a Beijinger, told AFP.

“But if things become like Shanghai, if it's too strict, then that's another story.

»

Tourism has collapsed

The Ministry of Health on Thursday reported more than 4,600 new positive cases in Shanghai, the epicenter of the recent epidemic wave.

A figure, however, in sharp decline since last week.

In total, around 40 cities in China apply some form of confinement or travel restrictions, according to Japanese bank Nomura.

A situation that dealt a severe blow to tourism during the holidays of May 1st.

Turnover has collapsed by more than 40% over one year, according to official figures.

World

China: A homeless forced to live a month in a phone booth in full containment in Shanghai

World

China: Beijing closes dozens of subway stations to fight Covid-19

  • World

  • Covid-19

  • Coronavirus

  • China

  • Confinement