The End of Wuhan Lockdown- After 76 Long Days

Wednesday 8th of April 2020

The End of Wuhan Lockdown- After 76 Long Days

After 11 weeks, celebrations begin in Wuhan, where the pandemic had started, as the city takes down coronavirus lockdown, allowing residents of Wuhan to once again travel in and out of the city.

Residents are permitted to leave without special authorization as long as a mandatory smartphone application powered by a mix of data-tracking and government surveillance shows they are healthy and have not been in recent contact with anyone confirmed to have the virus.

During the 76-day lockdown, Wuhan residents had been allowed out of their homes only to buy food or attend to other tasks deemed absolutely necessary. This occasion was marked with a light show on either side of the broad Yangtze River, with skyscrapers and bridges radiating animated images of health workers aiding patients, along with one displaying the words “heroic city,” a title bestowed on Wuhan by president and Communist Party leader Xi Jinping.

“This day that people have long been looking forward to and it is right to be excited. However, this day does not mark the final victory,” the ruling Communist Party’s flagship People’s Daily said in an editorial. “At this moment, we still need to remind ourselves that as Wuhan is unblocked, we can be pleased, but we must not relax.”