Beijing Ratchets Up COVID-19 Curbs, Sparking Fears of Citywide Lockdown

A resident gets a swab at a Covid-19 test site on May 11, 2022 in Beijing. Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

After gradually tightening COVID-19 curbs over the past few weeks, Beijing officials on May 12 said they “recommend” that residents stay at home while new mass testing is underway.

Panic buying gripped the capital amid rising concern of a citywide lockdown, though authorities have dismissed lockdown speculation as “rumors.”