Millions of people in the Chinese capital took their second Covid test of the week on Wednesday as part of the latest strategy to avoid a lockdown.
Some residents of the capital have begun stockpiling food and supplies after witnessing scenes of the tough lockdown in Shanghai.
Officials in Beijing hope early mass testing will spare them the anguish of Shanghai where officials waited for about a month as cases surged before ordering city-wide screening.
In the capital, supermarkets have been ordered to keep supplies well-stocked.
Shi Wei, 53, a retiree, said he was encouraged by the capital’s low numbers of cases but still nervous.
“These past two days every time I go to the supermarket there are lots of people, so I just turn around and leave, as I feel slightly unsafe," he said.
“I can understand the panic, given what happened in Shanghai."
Geng, 31, who works in finance, said he worried about being a close contact of a Covid case and being forced into quarantine with his whole family.
Beijing was testing the more than 3.5 million residents of its Chaoyang district on Wednesday, all of whom were screened on Monday.
On Tuesday, 16 million from other districts were tested and are due for another round on Thursday.
In total, 20 million of Beijing’s 22 million will be tested three times this week.
Residents in Shanghai have been offered a glimmer of hope that lockdown could be eased.
Officials said they would ease restrictions in areas that have stamped out infections - without giving further details.
Most people are confined to their homes under the lockdown rules. Most shops and venues are closed.
The zero tolerance Covid policy has provoked rare public anger as the stance is increasingly out of line with many other countries which have chosen instead to “live with Covid”.
