It is the biggest annual human migration on Earth, and in the months following the first coronavirus-tainted Lunar New Year, many foresaw the new and little understood virus spreading to all corners of the largest population on Earth. To the credit of world’s strictest lockdown, that turned out not to be the case.

As the rest of the world struggled with the deadliest pandemic in a century, China was in comparatively robust shape. But with pockets of cases having recently appeared in the mainland – 54 new infections on January 27, one day before the start of this year’s mass-travel season, 41 of them locally transmitted – the Chinese government is not about to take another chance of spreading more than holiday cheer throughout the population.

Workers have been financially incentivised to stay home with more crisp notes in red packets, but unlike most other countries under strict anti-Covid-19 safety measures, many cinemas, museums, libraries and shops in China have been asked to remain open.