Shanghai reopens cinemas but COVID risks 'relatively high' (updated)

Maoyan Entertainment

08/07/2022 09:28

* Shanghai reopens some cinemas in line with post-lockdown
plans
    * City officials warn of hidden COVID transmission risks 
    * Several cities in different parts of China fighting
outbreaks

 (Adds National Health Commission official, Beijing dropping
vaccine mandate)
    By Brenda Goh and Sophie Yu
    SHANGHAI, July 8 (Reuters) - Shanghai reopened most cinemas
on Friday, sticking to a plan of gradual resumption of daily
activities after it lifted a two-month COVID-19 lockdown in
June, while also trying, like several other Chinese cities, to
contain resurgent infections.
    Seeking to avoid a repeat of the ordeal that the commercial
hub of 25 million suffered in April and May, Shanghai's strategy
rests on frequent COVID testing, thorough contact tracing and
isolated lockdowns of residential buildings and other venues.
    Tougher restrictions may be needed if it fails to contain
the virus. That would be a dire prospect for its residents who
are only just recovering from the income losses, mental stress,
and poor access to basic necessities suffered during the
lockdown.
    The city's latest outbreak is linked to illegal karaoke
services in a single building.
    "Hidden transmission has taken place for a while and the
risk of further community spread remains relatively high,"
National Health Commission official Lei Zhenglong told
reporters.
    Several other cities across China were also racing to
smother outbreaks early, once again raising concerns about
China's economic growth outlook and potential disruptions to
supply chains and international trade.
    The efforts, which have fuelled frustration among Chinese in
a sensitive year for the ruling Communist Party, are part of
China's "zero COVID" strategy to eradicate any outbreaks as soon
as they occur, despite the great costs incurred.
    Premier Li Keqiang was quoted by state media on Thursday as
saying that the world's second-largest economy was recovering
from the supply shocks incurred while fighting COVID earlier
this year, "but the foundation is unstable".  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2YO0T7
    China is facing geopolitical headwinds, a property market
downturn, and rising borrowing costs in most of its export
markets, and some analysts say its growth target of around 5.5%
this year may be out of reach.
    President Xi Jinping, who is expected to secure a
precedent-breaking third term later this year, has said China
should not treat the virus as endemic as much of the world now
does, as that would put many lives at risk.
    With no end in sight to anti-COVID vigilance, residents
across China will have to put up with relentless testing and the
prospect of facing quarantine at any time, among other
inconveniences.
    Shanghai will conduct another round of mass COVID tests on
Saturday and Sunday, in line with a plan to test its entire
population every weekend until the end of the month. The city
just finished a Tuesday to Thursday testing campaign.
    Meanwhile, Beijing has dropped plans to enforce vaccine
mandates on most people entering crowded venues, following
strong online backlash against the measure announced earlier
this week. No new cases were detected in the capital on
Thursday.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2YP19D
    
    JURASSIC IS ON
    Shanghai reported 45 new COVID cases for July 7, down from
54 the day before, mostly among people already under isolation
orders.
    The city is gradually reopening cinemas, theatres and other
performance venues from Friday according to its post-lockdown
plans, though capacity is capped at 50%. Some venues postponed
their reopening as a precaution, Chinese media reported.
    Cinema ticket sales exceeded 1.4 million yuan ($208,868) by
noon of Friday, and Jurassic World Dominion was the most popular
film, according to Maoyan Entertainment  1896.HK .
    Most of Shanghai's 300-plus cinemas had been closed since
early March. 
    China's total caseload for Thursday was 478, higher than
Wednesday's 409 - numbers which authorities in most other
countries would now largely ignore.
    Most cases were detected in the eastern Anhui province where
more than 1 million people in small towns are locked down. There
were dozens of new cases also in the Jiangsu province, and a few
in Shaanxi and others.
    NHC's Lei said some places in China were slow with
vaccinating the elderly and officials there should work harder.
He did not specify the regions.
($1 = 6.7028 Chinese yuan renminbi)

 (Reporting by Brenda Goh, Jing Wang and Sophie Yu in Shanghai
and Roxanne Liu in Beijing; Writing by Marius Zaharia; Editing
by Simon Cameron-Moore and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
 ((marius.zaharia@thomsonreuters.com; +852 2843 6358;))