Panic buying grips Beijing supermarkets as lockdown rumours circulate

Residents in the Chinese capital Beijing flocked to supermarkets to stock up on food, hoping to avoid Shanghai-style shortages in case of a citywide lockdown. The capital recorded 36 Covid-19 cases on May 12, 2022. Some districts in the city have seen tighter curbs, including taxi and ride-hailing service suspension. Complaints are mounting over difficulties accessing medical care, but Chinese officials have deflected blame, saying predictions of a Beijing lockdown are just “rumours”.