Beijing will gradually lift Covid-19 restrictions this week, city officials said this morning. After some easing in recent days, the Chinese capital announced residents would start returning to work from tomorrow.
The city, which reported 19 new infections today, said schools would reopen from Monday 13 June. China is wedded to a zero-Covid strategy of hard lockdowns, mass testing and long quarantine periods to wipe out clusters as they emerge.
That strategy has meant restrictions on movement in major cities including Shanghai and Beijing, a metropolis of 22 million people where a resurgence of Covid-19 in April led to just under 2,000 infections.
From tomorrow, restaurants will be able to welcome customers again if they have tested negative in the previous three days. Public transport will also operate normally, the city's government said in a statement.