Shoppers queue to use self checkout services at Hema Fresh in Beijing on December 17, 2022. Photo: Li Hao/GT

 
Outdoor entertainment areas, commercial centers, and historical sites throughout many regions across China have slowly seen a return to normal over the last few days following the recent optimization of epidemic prevention measures including the scrapping of mandatory COVID testing and health code requirements.

Beijing is on track to fully restoring the normal order of production and social life, with catering, retail, and logistics all witnessing a sign of rebound after a tough week of peak COVID-19 infections in the capital.

The Global Times reporters visited several markets in the capital and found that they were busier in the early hours as customer made a notable return. The checkout lines are now almost as long as they were before the rise of infections. The market supply is sufficient, and logistics services are also recovering steadily.

More office workers are returning to their normal commute, and local parks are seeing increased traffic from senior citizens taking their daily exercise.

In Beijing's hutongs at eight o'clock in the morning, local residents who had already concluded their shopping trip to the vegetable market stopped to talk with acquaintances, recounting their experiences of fighting the virus at home in the last few days and what feasts they were eager to prepare after making a full recovery.

In Beijing's large shopping malls, restaurant workers were already pumped up, eagerly greeting customers.

The liveliest scene was at the cinema, where people lined up in an orderly fashion for tickets and 3D glasses, and enthusiastically discussing the release of the much anticipated Hollywood blockbuster Avatar 2.

"The cinema was almost packed, though there was coughing everywhere. I feel that the epidemic won't impact our daily life too much, and we are on the way back to normal," a Beijing-based moviegoer surnamed Yang, told the Global Times on Saturday.

Some shopping malls still offer free face masks and hand sanitizer to customers before entering, while indoor dining locations continue to ask for 48-hour negative nucleic acid test results.

The local government and various agencies have made great efforts to restore normal operations and consumption in the city.

Over the last week, hundreds of express delivery workers were dispatched in multiple batches to Beijing from neighboring regions to support Beijing in restoring its logistics supply capacity and relieve the pressure of huge volume of delivery orders, as the number of infections in Beijing's logistics industry surged.

Also, in the last few weeks, multiple cities issued coupons in batches to encourage consumption in eateries, shopping malls, supermarkets, e-commerce, tourism and so on.

According to the statistics of the travel service providers, as the prevention and control measures are optimized, many scenic spots across the country have been reopened, and the number of inquiries for hotels and homestays around attractions has also increased, sending a positive signal for the tourism industry in the country. As of December 8, more than 70 percent of the country's scenic spots had reopened, CCTV News reported.

Visitors take a tour of the National Museum of China on December 18, 2022. Photo: Li Hao/GT

 

A courier sorts through piles of deliveries in Beijing on December 15, 2022. Photo: VCG

A crew member reminds passengers to wear face masks on a train from East China’s Wenzhou to Beijing on December 14, 2022. Photo: cnsphoto

Residents shop at Sam’s Club in Shijingshan district, Beijing on December 17, 2022. Photo: Li Hao/GT