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Coronavirus China
ChinaPolitics

Shanghai’s Covid-19 lockdown takes heavy toll on young families

  • Residents trying to juggle work and taking care of preschoolers are among the hardest hit by the prolonged restrictions
  • Many say their biggest worry is the quarantine rules which have led to parents being separated from their children

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A man talks to his daughter through a fence at a residential compound in Shanghai. Photo:  EPA-EFE
Mia Castagnone

Living under what has been called the world’s strictest lockdown has not been easy for anyone, but for families with young children in Shanghai it has proved particularly tough.

Families across the economic powerhouse of 25 million have spoken of the difficulty of juggling full-time work commitments with keeping everyone in the household fed, happy and entertained.

On Friday they received a further blow to their morale when the city announced it would extend its standstill order until next Tuesday.
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“All of us were furious due to the [feeling] of helplessness. We don’t know the exact date of when this lockdown will end,” said one new mother named Lin*.

Lin said her biggest worry was running out of formula milk for her two-month-old daughter after the supply chain chaos caused by the sudden lockdown meant she could no longer order it online.

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Luckily for her she was able to get some through a friend who could put her in direct contact with a baby product company and arrange for a supply to be delivered within two days.

01:52

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‘No time to rest’: Shanghai grocery store prepares over 3,000 packages daily for locked-in residents
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