Covid: Inside a Shanghai Isolation Center

China’s ruling Communist Party issued a rare call on its members to “draw swords” to help contain Covid-19 in Shanghai. Here’s a look inside the Shanghai Indoor Stadium where those who have tested positive are sent.

“We must dare to draw our swords and fight against all kinds of behaviors that interfere with and undermine the overall situation of the fight against the epidemic,” the top party branch in Shanghai wrote to members late Wednesday, the same day the number of new cases in the city rose to more than 19,900.

“Wherever there is a need, there must be a Communist Party member,” it added in the open letter posted on an official government social media account.

The city of 25 million people has seen food shortages and a lack of medical care in the 10 days since a lockdown started in the eastern half of the city, which was later expanded to include the more populous western side. The outbreak has virtually paralyzed one of China’s most populous and recognizable cities, with businesses shuttered and factories of companies like Tesla Inc. halting production because of the curbs.

Shanghai Deputy Mayor Chen Tong, leader of a task force created to ensure the public gets everyday supplies, acknowledged at a press briefing Thursday morning that the government faces difficulties delivering goods to people amid store closures and logistical challenges.

He pledged to “unlock” wholesale markets, fulfillment centers, e-commerce warehouses and central kitchens to ease the supply crunch, and to prioritize the delivery of goods like infant formula and items that necessary for the elderly and other vulnerable groups.

Meituan Vice President Mao Fang said at the same briefing that the food delivery company would bring in 1,000 sorting workers from outside the city as part of efforts to speed up deliveries. A government official added that Shanghai’s mass testing efforts would continue.

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[JGsgarage_unboxings]

That's not isolation. That's a prison

[markjones]

We have no idea what that is really used for