China: 21 million Chengdu residents locked down, shocking scenes of panic-buying go viral

Following a rise in Covid-19 cases, Chengdu city in China with its 21 million residents dipped into a snap lockdown. This Chinese city recorded 157 new infections.

Desperate Chengdu residents went on to panic-buying essential supplies and the scenes went viral across social media platforms.

It was on Thursday midday when the snap lockdown was announced by Chinese authorities and before the stay-at-home orders came into effect, the residents only had six hours to prepare for the uncertain lockdown amid rising Covid-19 cases.


Viral footage shows mayhem in Chengdu after a snap Lockdown was announced by Chinese authorities

The viral videos and images posted online display the hoarding of vegetables and fruits, seafood, and red meat by locals in an all-scrambling state which resulted in completely bare shelves.

In the images and videos, cars are seen loaded with slabs of meat. Even drivers were captured binding dead chickens to their car’s roof.

Footage also shows complete chaos on the streets of Chengdu as people rushed to markets and local shops to stock necessities, and also shows unhinged freezers amid the mayhem in Chengdu.

China lockdown rules to be followed in Chengdu:

To buy essential items only one member of a family is allowed to go outside of the house. For that, the person has to show negative COVID results for tests conducted within the last 24 hours.

People allowed to leave home in Chengdu for special causes can take the operational public transport.

Among the large economies, China is the last country to have an operational zero- COVID policy that does mandatory testing and snap lockdowns to stop the surge in Coronavirus cases.

China lockdown measures in cities other than Chengdu

China lockdown restrictions are also in place in Shenzhen city, here limiting work-from-home measures were announced together with suspension of bus and subway service. The major port city Dalian is also under restrictions to stop the spread of the virus.

In April this year, Shanghai was also plunged into lockdown just like Chengdu. Terrifying footage of forcibly removing COVID-positive locals by health workers in hazmat suits went viral.