Much of Shanghai locked down as mass COVID-19 testing begins

BEIJING (AP) — China has begun its most extensive lockdown in two years to conduct mass testing and control a growing outbreak in Shanghai. China’s largest city with 26 million people had handled past outbreaks with limited lockdowns of housing compounds or workplaces. The lockdown that started Monday will be China’s biggest since the 76-day lockdown of Wuhan in early 2020. Residents must stay home and deliveries will be left at checkpoints. All unessential businesses will be closed and public transport suspended. Most of Shanghai’s cases are in people who test positive but have no symptoms. However, asymptomatic carriers can pass the virus to others. China’s vaccination rates are relatively low in older people, who are at greater risk of serious illness.