Shanghai arranges weekly testing venues with convenience in mind

Each district in Shanghai will arrange nucleic acid test screening at communities every weekend through the end of July in accordance with the city's COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control needs, a senior health official in Shanghai said at a news briefing on Wednesday.

These arrangements are also being made so residents can take nucleic acid tests nearby at a convenient location, said Zhao Dandan, deputy director of the Shanghai Health Commission.

Shanghai announced on Saturday all residents must undergo nucleic acid tests at least once a week, and those who do not follow will be assigned a yellow health code, meaning such individuals will not be allowed into most public venues.

"Residential compounds will be locked down during the screening, and the lockdown will be lifted as soon as the screening at the compound is completed," Zhao said.

He stressed the screening must cover all the residents, including those in commercial and office buildings, industrial parks, and other venues.

"Each district needs to provide convenient services to special groups, including bed-ridden elderly, the disabled and infants and toddlers, when screening," Zhao said.

Shanghai reported two locally transmitted COVID-19 cases outside of quarantine and locked down communities on Wednesday. The two were found in Yangpu and Hongkou districts.