Shanghai moves toward ending 2-month lockdown

Beijing, May 31

Shanghai authorities say they will take some major steps on Wednesday toward reopening China’s largest city after a two-month Covid lockdown that has throttled the national economy and largely bottled up millions of people in their homes.

Full bus and subway service will be restored as will basic rail connections with the rest of China, Vice Mayor Zong Ming said on Tuesday at a daily news conference.

Schools will partially reopen on a voluntary basis for students and shopping malls, supermarkets, convenience stores and drug stores will continue to reopen gradually with no more than 75 per cent of their total capacity. Cinemas and gyms will remain closed. Officials, who set June 1 as the target date for reopening earlier in May, appear ready to accelerate what has been a gradual easing in recent days. — AP