**Shanghai’s Two-Phase Lockdown to Ease COVID-19 Surge**
**Phase 1 (April 1-5):** Eastern part of the city, including Pudong, will be locked down for four days. Residents will be required to stay home and only essential businesses, such as grocery stores and pharmacies, will remain open.
**Phase 2 (April 5-9):** Western part of the city, including Jing’an, will be locked down for four days. The same restrictions as Phase 1 will apply.
The lockdown is intended to curb the spread of COVID-19, which has seen a surge in cases in Shanghai in recent weeks. The city reported a record 3,590 new cases on March 31, the highest daily total since the pandemic began.
The lockdown has been met with mixed reactions from residents. Some have expressed support for the measures, saying that they are necessary to contain the virus. Others have criticized the lockdown, saying that it is too restrictive and will cause unnecessary hardship.
The Shanghai government has said that it will provide financial assistance to businesses and individuals affected by the lockdown. The government has also said that it will increase testing and vaccination efforts in an effort to bring the outbreak under control.
It is unclear how effective the lockdown will be in containing the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the government has said that it is committed to taking all necessary measures to protect the health and safety of its citizens.
**Additional Information:**
* The lockdown will be enforced by police and other security forces.
* There will be exceptions to the lockdown for essential workers, such as medical personnel and emergency responders.
* Residents are advised to stock up on food and other necessities before the lockdown begins.
* The Shanghai government has set up a hotline for residents to report any violations of the lockdown.
**Source:**
https://news.google.com/articles/CBMiK2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNoaW5lLmNuL25ld3MvbWV0cm8vMjAwODEzNDA3Ny_SAQA?hl=zh-CN&gl=CN&ceid=CN%3Azh-Hans.
