Key panicked customers attempted to flee an Ikea store in Shanghai this Saturday, August 13, after health officials discovered a case of Covid-19.
Several videos circulating on social media this Monday, August 15 show customers at an Ikea store in Shanghai trying to flee to the emergency doors.
It’s called a #IKEA shop in Xuhui District,#Shanghaisaid it had been ordered by authorities to close the store due to the presence of the footprints of close contacts of people who tested positive for COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/OUVOj5hiHP
— Boxun News (@BoxunNews) August 15, 2022
According to multiple local media, the store ordered the doors locked after announcing a Covid-19 contact case on Saturday 13 August. It was a 6-year-old asymptomatic boy who returned from Tibet on August 9th.
80,000 PCR tests
After the suspected case was broadcast over the loudspeakers, the visitors were seized by a wave of panic and headed for the emergency exits in order to flee as quickly as possible. As we can see in different excerpts, several security forces tried to stem the flow of people and keep the doors closed.
上海徐汇宜家要禁止出入配合流行病学调查，吓得顾客赶快逃亡 pic.twitter.com/dAWbpbln7v
— 方舟子 (@fangshimin) August 14, 2022
According to information from the American chain Bloomberg, visitors who were still in the store were quarantined for 48 hours and accompanied by a five-day health surveillance.
According to the Shanghai Daily, nearly 400 people have been in contact with the boy. In addition, 80,000 more had to undergo a PCR test.
This type of draconian measure is imposed as part of the zero Covid strategy implemented by China since the beginning of the pandemic. The basis for this is in particular mass tests, repeated quarantines, but also the strict sealing off of entire cities.