Shanghai residents protest as city faces food shortage

Chinese social media Weibo is full of frustrated cries of help, where Shanghai residents complain about a lack of food, medicine and other essentials and haphazard lockdown measures. Zero tolarence policy and strict locdown has created serious situation in Shanghai. People in the financial hub are reportedly running out of food, water and other necessities, with many said to be on the brink of starvation. In some pockets of Shanghai, the tense situation spiralled out of control and riots broke out. Videos showed a large group of people raising slogans and cornering officials wearing hazmat suits, before looting a supermarket.

The situation in Shanghai is scary. Reports of millions struggling to feed themselves, elderly unable to access medicine, videos of small riots breaking out circulating on social media. Many households relying on inadequate govt food deliveries. pic.twitter.com/bW1ixaTu7O

— Michael Smith (@MikeSmithAFR) April 8, 2022

All of Shanghai has been locked down since April 1. The eastern third of the city has been locked down even longer -- since March 28. The national government has sent in 2,000 military medics and 10,000 medical workers from other provinces to help in the fight against the Covid wave, fuelled by the Omicron variant. The strain of testing and treatment is taking a heavy toll on health care professionals too. A video shared on Twitter showed a doctor being rushed out of an isolation facility, carried by patients, after he collapsed while performing his duties.

BREAKING—China’s grip on BA2. At least 23 cities in China on full or partial lockdown—cities with over 193 million residents. Food shortages throughout even Shanghai. Doctors and nurses also exhausted—this doctor collapsed, and was carried off by patients at an isolation center. pic.twitter.com/raJlRNEezC

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) April 9, 2022

As Shanghai residents yelled out their frustrations from their balconies and windows, the government’s response to the outcry was “control your soul’s desire for freedom”. The city of 26 million, Shanghai,has reported 25,000 Covid cases on Sunday.  In order to stop the spread of the disease, the city has been placed under the strict "dynamic zero" Covid strategy. At least 23 cities in China on full or partial lockdown—cities with over 193 million residents.