Shanghai takes measures to improve newfound delivery needs

Shanghai strives to enhance delivery efficiency and facilitate the normal operation of more enterprises to ensure residents receive daily necessities as needed, local authorities said at a news briefing on Saturday.

According to Gu Jun, director of the Municipal Commerce Commission, residents' needs for food, daily necessities, materials for pandemic prevention and medicine have increased, as closed-loop management in some communities has lasted for a month.

"To tackle the current gap between supply and demand, the city has cooperated with multiple provincial-level regions, including Shandong, Yunnan, and Inner Mongolia, to ensure that enough vegetables and pork are transported to the city through an inter-provincial contactless delivery mechanism," Gu said.

Three transfer stations for daily necessities have already been operating in Kunshan, Jiangsu province; Pinghu, Zhejiang province; and the International Agricultural Products Trading Center in the city's Qingpu district. 

In addition, authorized wholesale markets, distribution centers, e-commerce warehouses and central kitchens that strictly implement COVID-19 prevention and control measures will gradually resume business to guarantee supplies.

According to Gu, nine front-end e-commerce warehouses and 17 supermarkets resumed operation since Friday. Also resuming work on Friday were 1,096 local workers and 2,000 people dispatched from other provinces in industries related to basic social needs.

"We've also taken special care for the elderly living alone, children, women and other people in need of help. Stated-own department store chain Bailian Group is in charge of the supply for regions to the east of the Huangpu River, whereas local dairy company Guangming Group is responsible for areas in the west," Gu added.