Prognosis
China Denies Beijing to Lock Down as Residents Rush to Buy Food
- Rumors of a lockdown flooded social media platforms Thursday
- China’s capital has never been locked down during the pandemic
This article is for subscribers only.
Beijing officials denied the city will be locked down and urged people not to hoard food as residents flocked to grocery stores amid growing concern the Chinese capital’s response to a persistent Covid-19 outbreak is about to be intensified.
Speculation that Beijing will be locked down or put into a “quiet period” are rumors, Xu Hejian, a spokesperson for the Beijing municipal government said at a press briefing on Thursday. The city’s some 20 million residents don’t need to be nervous about food supply and deliveries aren’t halted, Xu said.