Downward trend of new local COVID-19 infections
Residents of a precautionary area in Fengxian District line up outside a local supermarket.
There were 73 new COVID-19 infections detected during Monday's high risk people screenings, while the total number of daily infections continued to drop by more than 20 percent to 5,669.
Screening among high risk groups applies to people in controlled and precautionary areas, as well as those who voluntarily go to fever clinics and receive PCR tests.
The key barometer for the city's primary target of "zero community transmissions" was zero on Friday and Saturday, but rebounded a bit on Sunday amid the city's new round of PRC and antigen testing.A total of almost 15.5 million Shanghai residents, or about 60 percent of the city's total population, are in precautionary areas – communities, villages and business without a positive case in the last two weeks.
The number of residents in locked-down areas has fallen to 2.54 million, while 5.38 million people are in controlled areas, said Zhao Dandan, deputy director of the Shanghai Health Commission.
Those in precautionary areas are in districts with zero social transmissions, including Fengxian, Jinshan, Chongming, Qingpu and Songjiang, and are allowed to move around within the district in which they reside. They can also visit supermarkets, pharmacies and hospitals in their districts. Public transportation is gradually resuming in those areas, while private cars can also be driven.
Residents of precautionary areas in downtown districts – Putuo and five towns in the Pudong New Area – with zero community transmissions may also move around within their subdistricts or towns and go to designated supermarkets and drugstores.
In other downtown districts that have yet to achieve the zero transmissions goal – Huangpu, Jing'an, Xuhui, Changning, Hongkou, Yangpu, Baoshan and Minhang – residents in precautionary areas may only move around within their residential compounds. One member of each household can shop at supermarkets and drugstores within a limited timeframe twice a week.
Workers disinfect city streets.
Residents must show negative results of either antigen self-tests from within the previous 24 hours or PCR tests from within the prior 48 hours, as well as their health codes, to enter stores.
Regulations remain the same for people in locked-down and controlled areas. Residents are asked to remain at home in locked-down areas, and are only allowed to pick up deliveries in controlled-area residential compounds.
Shanghai reported 20 more COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday – 12 fewer than Monday – with an average age of almost 84. All had severe underlying conditions, and only one had been vaccinated.
Of COVID-19 patients in local designated and makeshift hospitals, 488 have severe symptoms and 88 are in critical condition.
Meanwhile, 31,102 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals on Monday after making full recoveries.
Recovered COVID-19 patients must quarantine in their homes for a week after being discharged, check their body temperatures twice a day and take a PCR test on the seventh day, said Zhao.
During home quarantine, they are asked to stay at home, live in separate rooms by themselves and maintain distance from others. Additionally, they must report to their community officials if they have symptoms like fevers and coughs.
Meanwhile, around 100 ambulances and close to 300 medics have arrived in Shanghai from north Tianjin and central Henan Province to help cope with the increasing number of daily emergency calls, which have risen to 12 times than the same time last year.
A senior receives a COVID-19 vaccine in Qingpu District.
