BEIJING (AP)-The United States has ordered all non-emergency consular personnel to leave Shanghai, which is tightly closed, to prevent a wave of COVID-19.
Many of the city’s 26 million residents have been confined to their homes for three weeks as China maintains its “zero-COVID” strategy with strict epidemic isolation and mass testing.
But people living with limitations described the growing desperate situation, families unable to leave their homes, food and daily necessities, and people who tested positive for the coronavirus being forced into mass quarantine center where conditions are sometimes called crowded. And unsanitary conditions.
The State Department said the order, announced late Monday, was the renewal of an “authorized” departure consultation last week that voluntarily made a decision. The order includes U.S. government employees and their family members at the Shanghai consulate.
“The change in our posture reflects our assessment that it is better for our employees and their families to reduce numbers and reduce our operations as they face changing circumstances on the ground,” the statement said.
The State Department has also issued several recommendations for Americans in Shanghai, including ensuring they have “adequate money, medicine, food and other necessities for your family in case there are unexpected restrictions or quarantine. “
The Chinese government and state-controlled media as a whole are increasingly defensive about claims against COVID-19 prevention measures.
Beijing angrily responded to voluntary withdrawal advice last week, in which Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China was “extremely dissatisfied and strongly opposes the baseless allegations by the U.S. side of the epidemic. of China. “
In a statement, the State Department advised Americans to reconsider travel to China because of the “arbitrary application” of local laws and restrictions on COVID-19, specifically in Hong Kong, Jilin province and Shanghai. U.S. officials called it a “risk of separation between parents and children”.
However, and pointed out that strict policies were dictated by the ruling Communist Party leader, Xi Jinping, China rejected any speculation that its response was political in nature. Xi called for social stability, first of all, before a major party congress later this year, during which he should lead himself to an unfinished third term as party leader.
Shanghai authorities also said they would provide a daily supply to residents, as complaints about food supply and other necessities were either inaccessible or inadequate in demand.
Shanghai said it would remove some restrictions in areas where no new infections have been reported in the past two weeks. Residents can travel to their districts, but not in groups. Others will be limited to their immediate areas.
Source: Huffpost
