#quarantinelife

The Shanghai Municipal Health Commission stated that after children are placed in quarantine for treatment, only parents who test positive are allowed to accompany them.

Parents don't know news of their two-year-old child for days after he was separated and isolated from his mother

The diary is paved with a mom's heartbreak and a witness to the pediatric ward's transition from chaos, to a gradual return to order.

Residents were forcibly taken to Shanghai Nanhui Fangcang Shelter Hospital for quarantine, where there were no blankets, no nurses, and no supplies. Eventually, patients ran out of the facility, scrambling for blankets, rice, and other necessities. The day after the author published an article about the situation, readers reported that conditions at Nanhui Fangcang had improved.

People first realized that the most insignificant things in life, like a stalk of green onion, a pack of coffee filters, or a sheet of printer paper, can become so precious.

This is a spring that truly happened, and it is a part of our collective memory.

During the silent period, all residents must stay indoors except for participating in organized nucleic acid testing; community delivery pickup points are closed, and all deliveries are refused; individual express deliveries and food deliveries are suspended, including placing orders and distribution; all group purchases are also suspended, including order placement and delivery.

Some residential communities prohibited residents from using motor vehicles, allowing only pedestrian movement; entry into certain venues required a nucleic acid test report, yet “those with test reports couldn’t leave, and those who left didn’t have test reports”; in other cases, residents were denied access to essential places such as supermarkets or wet markets simply because those locations did not fall within the boundaries of their designated subdistrict.

Many prevention zones upgraded control measures after just one day, with community access permits becoming invalid after one day.

Changning District in Shanghai has released the first list of "Covid-Free Communities." The author raises questions: So, is the "three-zone" policy still in effect? What is the difference between this and the "three zones"? Could this lead to discrimination against confirmed patients within the entire community?

Since the introduction of the “COVID-free community” evaluations, I’ve witnessed numerous shouting matches between residents and neighborhood committees, as well as among the residents themselves.

1、Any use of coercive measures to forcibly send residents to makeshift quarantine facilities is illegal and must be stopped immediately； 2、No institution in Shanghai has the authority to forcibly demand residents hand over their house keys and enter their homes for “disinfection”。

Does such disinfection have scientific value? Does it infringe upon citizens' private property rights?

A widely circulated video of “forced in-home disinfection” shows health workers in full protective gear emptying refrigerators and spraying disinfectant on every corner of the interior, including the fridge, floor, and sofa.

A staff member from the Publicity Department of Suining County, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, responded to the media, stating that the circulated video shows terminal disinfection carried out at the residences of positive cases and asymptomatic carriers according to local epidemic prevention policies.

The disinfection work is carried out by a professional agency. To facilitate the disinfection of the hallways, supporting facilities have been specially prepared for residents to rest by the roadside. The street authorities absolutely do not engage in any forced entry into homes or compulsory disinfection actions.

Home disinfection targets households with positive cases, but there is one exception — in older residential communities where kitchens and bathrooms are shared.

In a civilized society governed by the rule of law, public authority must not be arrogant, and private rights should be respected and protected from infringement.

Renowned Shanghai scholar Xu Zidong revealed on Weibo that famous Shanghai host Ye Huixian’s home contains over ten thousand books and cultural relics, many of which are masterpieces and even unique copies. Ye Huixian stated that if anyone comes to his home for disinfection, he would rather jump from the upper floor.

The disinfection work is carried out by professional agencies, and there is absolutely no forced entry or disinfection by breaking into homes conducted by the subdistrict authorities.

A large number of users have commented with similar experiences, raising concerns about the accuracy of nucleic acid testing conducted by certain laboratories.

The necessary facilities were not yet completed, conditions were harsh, management was chaotic, and even the toilets had not been connected to running water.

Living collectively with 299 roommates. Every night, amidst the thunderous snoring, you can hear muffled sobbing into pillows.

Two elderly individuals in their 60s were quarantined at home together with their 92-year-old bedridden mother.

The living conditions of people with disabilities, patients, and the elderly in Fangcang shelter hospitals

"Little Yang Ren" has become the standardized label for COVID-19 positive patients. These new terms have led to issues of stigmatization and discrimination against those infected with the virus.

The Discursive Evolution of Shanghai as a “Model Student” in COVID Control

“We are not standing still — we are driving in reverse, flooring the gas pedal while in reverse gear.”

Residents Refuse Quarantine Despite Negative COVID Tests; Police Visit and Use Violence

Why Targeted COVID Control Failed: The False Dichotomy Between “Zero-COVID” and “Reopening”

During the lockdown, the residential areas in Shanghai were enclosed with barriers, and the streets were blocked off.

White Terror — The Disinfection Army Sets Out in Formation

Parents locked down in Shanghai due to the pandemic — a 13-year-old boy left to live alone at home for two months; one positive case leads to an entire building being quarantined, a patient with ALS forcibly taken away; local authorities demand keys from transferred residents for in-home disinfection.

The original close contacts were not transferred, while those just discharged from the cabin hospital were taken away again as close contacts.

News crew filmed the community reopening, but the gates were closed again two hours after opening.

Media interviewed passengers live, met with complaints about lockdown policies.

News That Should Not Be Forgotten During Shanghai’s Lockdown

There is only one week left until the full resumption of work and production, and the challenges to achieve this may be immense.

Sixty-one “ordinary people” fighting against the dust of the times during these 61 days.

So that when this period is mentioned again in the future, only accurate memories remain—not mistaken ones.

This article is a collection of answers from Zhihu users responding to the question, “Are there others like me who have been unable to recover emotionally since the Shanghai outbreak? How have you been coping?” Many respondents commented that they still haven’t been able to recover.

Those Silent Shops, and the Growing Termites

In some residential compounds, residents celebrated by waving the national flag and singing songs such as “Ode to the Motherland.”

Government drones broadcasted: "Please control your soul’s yearning for freedom."

During the Shanghai lockdown, several anti-domestic violence volunteers received about three times as many help requests from victims as they normally would.

In the makeshift shelters, women’s safety and privacy were difficult to guarantee, with constant male gazes everywhere.

The decisions and arrangements made by the Party Central Committee regarding epidemic prevention and control are completely correct, and socialism with Chinese characteristics has unparalleled institutional advantages.

It's not that the community committee is failing to act, but that higher authorities refuse to intervene.

The Wukang Road building, bathed in the March sunlight, exudes an air of isolation.

None of the mothers giving birth that day had access to epidural anesthesia.

Today is Grain Rain, my ninth COVID test. I saw this bird by the roadside, and I envied it.

It shows as in stock, but ordering is not possible.

Netizens protest and complain about being unable to get vegetables.

Netizens organized group purchases to support Paris Baguette after it was fined

During the lockdown, Shanghai residents began sharing photos of their balcony plants.

Supplies distributed in Meilong Town, Shanghai, included contaminated pork.

Residents across Shanghai have raised concerns over the quality of government-distributed supplies.

Numerous Shanghai residents posted on their social media showing problematic supplies.

When people couldn't get groceries, the TV station taught everyone about fasting.

A family of four is facing a food shortage crisis on the 28th day of lockdown.

The author was warned by the police after publishing the previous article, "Yes, I'm Running Out of Food."

“Even if 99% of Shanghai’s 25 million residents have their basic needs met, that still leaves 250,000 people struggling to eat — this is an international metropolis in 2022!”

In the internet age, the cries for help from the elderly often go unnoticed.

Helping the elderly can only rely on grassroots mutual aid.

317,400 elderly people living alone have become one of the most vulnerable groups during this wave of the pandemic in Shanghai.

Beyond the internet world, the situation, difficulties, and needs of 51 elderly people living alone.

The vegetables and supplies received have already turned into wet waste

In places without property management, residents organized mutual aid on their own.

"Don't be indifferent just because it hasn't happened to you."

Even if you are just a nobody, you still need to let out a sigh of relief.

Group-buying “leaders” who open up supply channels for millions of residents

Who gets to decide whether we are a "healthy" person?

How does human nature turn into bestiality under the illusion of power?

Community Residents Eat Instant Noodles, While Neighborhood Committee Staff Enjoy Swiss Rolls

A blind person, locked down at home, uses an open flame to cook for the first time in their life.

Why can't people get enough food in a world-class metropolis?

Summary of Grocery-Snatching Strategies

Several Shanghai residents’ experiences with stockpiling food.

"They would rather let the food rot than give it to us."

“This government is like a piece of shit; the whole system is terrible and utterly absurd. This is truly a disgrace to you, the government, Shanghai, and China…”

How volunteers organized and guided the establishment of a self-governance system within the quarantined building

An almost 70-year-old neighborhood committee secretary, along with a group of elderly volunteers, self-rescued during the lockdown.

A symbolic short film of resistance during the Shanghai lockdown and the entire pandemic period.

33 Derivative Versions of "Voices of April"

Residents of Huixianju Community in Shanghai collectively opposed hard lockdown measures and were temporarily successful.

Shanghai Medicine Mutual Aid WeChat Group “We Are Not the God of Medicine”

“Stop fucking reading that press release—anyone can do that. Can you turn on your mic and speak for real? You bastard.”

“If this pandemic can be called a victory, the greatest victory is that it has exposed all the things usually hidden in society.”

"Is playing *The Internationale* a crime now too?"

As of May 2, at least 786 items related to “Voices of April” had appeared on OpenSea, the world’s largest NFT trading platform.

"Actions must be based on the law. This is not an era where leaders can do whatever they want, nor is it a time of lawlessness."

The CDC staff pretended to have a bad signal and hung up the phone.

The elderly woman raised many doubts about the high-frequency, high-dose outdoor fogging disinfection based on the scientific points he knows.

"Have some backbone and be kind. Don’t make things hard for your fellow citizens just for a box of lunch!"

Grassroots mutual aid helping cancer patients cope with secondary disasters caused by COVID lockdowns

“Tell your children that your daily job is to lock other people’s children in their homes, keeping them from going to school or seeing a doctor!”

“Tell the next generation: never let this happen again.”

“People first! Rights foremost! Our human rights must not be trampled!”

Short footage of Shanghai citizens protesting and being arrested.

“How will the livelihood issues be resolved? What’s wrong with asking two simple questions?”

An account of how to escape from Shanghai by train during the city's closure.

In order to continue to provide supplies for the group, she lived in a store with no beds and no showers

Deciding to leave means being prepared to wander.

According to data recorded by the Australian government in March and April this year, a total of 594 Australian citizens and permanent residents returned to Australia from Shanghai.

The Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau stated at the time that for homeless individuals who met the conditions for leaving the city and wished to return to their hometowns, assistance could be provided for their return. However, in addition to strict eligibility requirements, the channels for leaving Shanghai were also extremely limited.

Unable to wait for the promised date of reopening, and seeing no end to the home quarantine.

Hope rises, only to be shattered — again and again, in a relentless cycle.

At first, they said it would be a four-day lockdown.

Under the elevated highway by the train station, stranded travelers had taken shelter.

Throughout the lockdown, a large number of expatriates in Shanghai were sharing strategies and fleeing collectively.

The domestic workers demanded that follow-up quarantine and living arrangements be properly handled, that responsibility be clearly assigned, and that the housekeeping agency refund the previously collected 2,000 yuan service fee.

Every day, she put on protective gear and became a “Big White” in the public restroom.

A group of aunties returning from work to their rental apartments were reported to the police by the property owners as potential threats, and then “evicted” from the compound by the neighborhood committee.

Migrant workers who built the fangcang shelters were left without accommodation, using water from fire hydrants to make instant noodles, sleeping on concrete floors or even on the streets, and becoming infected during construction.

To meet the construction deadline, he once went two days and two nights without sleep, and, out of concern for exposure risk, limited his water intake to avoid using the toilet.

Those transporting materials to the fangcang shelter and bringing in work meals are all people. We can only enter after testing negative for COVID, but there is still no way to ensure we won’t get infected.

A migrant worker trapped in a Shanghai urban village speaks in his own words.

Several truck drivers told *China Newsweek* that their income has dropped significantly compared with before the pandemic, and because of the epidemic prevention risks, they also carry the stigma of being “like rats crossing the street, scorned by everyone.”

They built clay stoves by the roadside, gave each other haircuts on small stools, and even had fishing rods and nets. By the “frozen” roadside, there was a small river, where they would catch fish.

The lockdown caused countless workers to lose their livelihoods, making access to food their greatest challenge.

As a medical startup relying on technology for its livelihood, any lockdown forces the suspension of outpatient services and surgeries, resulting in zero offline revenue.

A satirical video series humorously criticizing the absurd chaos during Shanghai’s lockdown. After releasing the second episode, the creator was summoned by Shanghai police.

Writer Wang Zhanhei witnessed a neighbor's suicide during Shanghai’s lockdown, which inspired her to write a short story centered around the lockdown experience.

During the Shanghai lockdown, the Shanghai Rainbow Chamber Singers created a song dedicated to ordinary heroes amidst the pandemic.

Shanghai residents collectively sang Lo Ta-yu’s Tomorrow Will Be Better on the street during the lockdown; police did not directly intervene.

Although the lyrics conclude by stating that the song criticizes Russia and the U.S., the content is more directed at condemning Shanghai's lockdown policies.

The wallpaper parodies Haizi’s famous poem "Facing the Sea, with Spring Blossoms", rewriting it as "Facing Another Neighborhood, Still Waiting."

Shanghai jokes have since become as famous as Soviet jokes.

Who is directing this play, in this human world of April?

A Shanghai netizen turned all their used antigen test kits into wings and wore them.

A Hong Kong netizen adapted the song Shanghai Beach into a satirical piece mocking the lockdown in Shanghai.

Author Chen Yaya uses satire to portray the lives of people during lockdown, drawing parallels between "Dream of the Red Chamber" and modern reality. The story explores power struggles and human resilience in the face of a pandemic.

This is no longer a simple case of “infiltration” — it’s a “color revolution”: red + blue.

"The power of music, the sound of silence."

The pandemic will eventually pass, scallions grow fast, but our wisdom grows slowly.

“Let's all go snatch veggies—if you don't snatch today, there'll be none left. Come tomorrow and it's too expensive. We'll all be hungry together!”

“There’s a new phrase now — No business, no Shanghai.”

“When freedom and thought are shackled by power, when green lanes are sealed and become dead ends.”

The Japanese occupying forces prohibited citizens from leaving the lockdown zone—even for medical needs or basic supplies—while profiting from reselling goods at high prices. A clip from a historical film is now used to criticize Shanghai’s pandemic measures.

“Have you seen the original of this painting? They’re beating someone—like they’re dancing.”

“Why is it that they made the mistake, but I’m the one who suffers?”

“I live just to do PCR tests, and even if I die—I’ll still do PCR tests.”

On the second day, due to COVID prevention measures, Pang Kuan’s performance art exhibition was suspended for in-person viewing.

In an era marked by pandemics, lockdowns, and contested boundaries of speech, poetry has become a subtle yet powerful form of resistance.