Over 160 Days' Silence, This Town Has Been Through 9 Lockdowns

China on Thursday reported 360 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 261 were in Shanghai.

Apart from Shanghai, 12 other provincial-level regions on the mainland saw new local COVID-19 cases, including 42 in Beijing and 14 in Henan.

13 COVID deaths were also reported, all in Shanghai, bringing the mainland's total COVID-19 deaths to 5,141 since the pandemic began more than two years ago.

In addition to metropolis like Shanghai, there are many other small towns under the pressure of epidemic and lockdown that we cannot imagine, including Ruili, Dongxing, Suifenhe. In this epidemic, we hope that these unfamiliar names could be seen and remembered, encouraged and helped.

Shanghai

Closed-off managements and restrictions in Shanghai city have lasted for over 1 month since the first phased lockdown started from March 28. 

According to health commission authorities, the effects of epidemic prevention and control have become increasingly visible with the combination of antigen and nucleic acid screening, as well as other prevention measures.

Currently, the population in precaution zones had expanded to 15.78 million, which was two times the population in lockdown and under control that had narrowed to 7.58 million. Passes have been printed and sent out to many residents in precaution zones.

Ruili, Yunnan

Ruili, a border city in Yunnan Province, has been shut down several times within a year. 

Since the outbreak of the epidemic three years ago, Ruili citizens have experienced 9 citywide lockdown for more than 160 days, with at least 130 PCR tests carried out inbetween.

The once prosperous jade trade, import and export trade, tourism and catering industries have almost stopped.

According to the official data released by Ruili, the latest citywide PCR testing (April 18, 2022) covered about 190,000 people, while same scale of citywide  PCR testin a year ago (April 13, 2021) covered about 380,000 people. This means that at least 200,000 people left Ruili during the year.

Dongxing, Guangxi

50 days after the lockdown of Dongxing, a border city in Guangxi Province, a video has been reposted everywhere: a middle-aged man is crying -- over 50 consecutive days of PCR tests have pushed him to the edge of mental breakdown.

The city homes about 200,000 permanent residents (more than 150,000 are immigrants). Tourism, import  & export trade with Vietnam and related industries were the pillars on which most people depend for a living.

Grid management devided the whole town into epidemic areas and non-epidemic areas. Once there is a positive case in a building, the residents of the entire building will be taken to isolation. 

It's hard to imagine its past vitality if you see what it's like now -- long empty streets, closed shutter doors and gray shop signs... Not to mention the survival problems came along with the lockdown. 

Though 'group purchase' is an option, the price of daily necessities has risen sharply. Vegetables worth 2 yuan now cost 7 yuan, errand fee has risen from the original 10 yuan to 20 yuan, and fruit has even become a luxury. 

Suifenhe, Heilongjiang

Since January 25 this year, Suifenhe, a border city adjecent to Russia, has been closed off for nearly three months. Expresses, deliveries, pharmacies, and hospital outpatient clinics have all suspended the services.

Since the town established Suifenhe Sino-Russian Mutual Market Trade Zone in 1999, small import businesses have become many people's livelihoods young generation's childhood memories.

Lockdown was only shortly lifted for 3 days, during when many residents flew like escaping from zombies. They fear another round of lockdown would cut off their livelihoods again. In this small city, gossip is constantly spreading, hope is constantly dashed, conflicts caused by rising prices and lack of income are nothing new anymore.

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