Desperation amid food shortages in Shanghai as Covid lockdown bites

Stories of desperation are emerging in Shanghai as the city enters its third day of strict lockdown, with increasingly widespread reports of residents being unable to access food, medicine and other essentials.  The city’s Covid lockdown was extended indefinitely earlier this week after staggered restrictions failed to contain infections. City officials had promised the staggered lockdown would end on 5 April, leaving many residents of the Chinese megacity unprepared to be indefinitely housebound. Despite the severe measures, Shanghai’s cases continue to rise as mandatory testing continues. The city reported 20,398 new infections on Friday, 824 of which were symptomatic.

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