Shanghai vows to ensure daily supplies amid COVID-19 resurgence

Medical workers take a swab sample from a resident for nucleic acid test at a community in Putuo District of Shanghai, east China, April 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Fei)

SHANGHAI, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai is taking multiple measures to meet its residents' demand for daily necessities, especially the essentials required by the elderly, mothers and babies, as the megacity is under temporary closed-off management due to COVID-19 resurgence.

The city has sufficient reserves of rice, flour, oil and meat, and enough supplies of vegetables and pork can be transferred from other cities to Shanghai at any time, vice mayor Chen Tong said at a press conference on Thursday.

According to Chen, supermarkets and food markets have suspended operations due to the current epidemic situation. The delivery capacity of the e-commerce platforms has also decreased significantly due to the COVID-19 resurgence.

Shanghai will strive to solve the problem of low efficiency in distribution by expanding the scale of stockpiling and launching supply packages to cover the basic needs of its residents, Chen said.

"Through neighborhood committees, the needs of people will be collected and their orders will be delivered by community volunteers," Chen said.

Shanghai is establishing a white-list to restore the operation of the wholesale markets, distribution centers, e-commerce warehouses and other outlets that strictly implement epidemic prevention and control measures. Insufficient manpower will also be solved by allowing couriers from non-epidemic-hit communities to return to work.

In response to the needs of special groups, Shanghai has established an emergency channel on the e-commerce platforms. For example, deliveries of maternal and infant products, such as baby milk powder, will be given priority.