As new Coronavirus cases became known on June 3, the authorities swabbed 1,940 workers in major supermarkets and other food markets in the capital, and collected 5,424 environmental samples. Xinfadi market in the Fengtai district of Beijing and another five markets visited by meat inspectors were ordered to close, either completely or partially immediately. Xinfadi supplies about 70 percent of Beijing’s fresh vegetables and 80 percent of its fruit. All fresh salmon was removed from stores and markets across the city and disposed of, and authorities said they would start screening frozen and fresh meat in markets across the city. Nine kindergartens and elementary schools around Xinfadi were ordered to close, and apartment complexes near the market were sealed off and movement severely restricted. The National Center for Performing Arts, which had reopened on a trial basis just days earlier, stopped allowing visitors on June 13, and all sports events in the city were prohibited. Beijing banned tourist groups from other provinces and regions. Zhang Wenhong, a top infectious diseases expert in Shanghai, said on Weibo “We should have a realistic understanding of what it means for China to keep the status quo of almost zero domestic cases for a long time to come. That doesn’t mean absolutely no new cases.” He added “There is no need to go overboard over this so much as to halt the restoration of our economy and people’s livelihoods. As long as each and every one of us do our jobs well, and stay aware of personal hygiene and protection in our daily lives, we will be able to keep ourselves safe and keep our cities free from second wave infections and virus spread.”
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