Shanghai tests the limits of Xi’s zero-COVID policy

The city of 26 million is dealing with rising cases of omicron but there are signs of growing public anger at the strict and costly lockdown.

Thomas Hale, Andy Lin and Primrose Riordan

Apr 7, 2022 – 8.00am

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In late March, as Shanghai residents began to worry that rising coronavirus infections would lead the city into its first mass lockdown, authorities turned to social media to calm the situation.

“Please do not believe or spread rumours,” the city government wrote on China’s Weibo platform on March 23, where posts warning that people would imminently be confined to their homes had already spurred panic buying of food.

Financial Times