Ahead of Olympics, abrupt lockdowns loom over Beijing life

By KEN MORITSUGU
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — Beijing residents are coping with abrupt local lockdowns and sweeping COVID-19 testing requirements as the Chinese capital seeks to prevent a coronavirus outbreak ahead of the opening of the Winter Olympics in less than two weeks. At the Anzhen residential community about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the main Olympic Village, residents were confined to their homes from Sunday morning until Tuesday afternoon. No word was given about confirmed cases in the area, but all residents were required to be tested for COVID-19, with a second round scheduled for Thursday. The lockdowns are part of China’s “zero tolerance” measures to fight the pandemic that have been ratcheted-up ahead of the Games. Those now include requiring tests for anyone who purchases cold medicine.