On Monday, Disney Resort in Shanghai suddenly stopped operations because of China’s COVID-19 rules. Disney Resort visitors were told to stay in the park until they test negative for coronavirus.
At 11:39 a.m. local time, Disney Resort announced the main theme park’s immediate closure. Nearby areas, including a shopping street, also had to close.
Additionally, the Shanghai government posted a message on Chinese social media that said people were not allowed to enter or leave the Disney park. The Shanghai government also said that guests who visited the park between October 27 and October 31 needed to test for coronavirus.
Social media users reported that Disney continued to operate the rides in the park for guests who were locked in.
Earlier this year, the Shanghai Disney Resort was shut for more than three months when the city of Shanghai was locked down.
In November 2021, the park was closed for two days with 30,000 visitors locked inside.
The Shanghai Disney Resort has not said how many people were locked in this time.
The Universal Studios Resort in Beijing just reopened on Monday. It was closed for five days because of COVID-19 safety measures.
Chinese authorities use very strict measures across the country to try to stop the spread of coronavirus.
VOCABULARY
- Suddenly – quickly and without warning; at once; unexpectedly
- Operations – business activities and processes; activities involved in a company producing goods or delivering services;
- Test negative for (coronavirus) – to do a medical test that checks for a disease and the test shows that you do not have the disease
- Announce – share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report
- Immediate – happening or done now, without any delay; instant; done at once
- Post – to write or publish something on the internet; to put a message on social media
- Social media – services like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.
- Allow – permit; let; to give permission; OK
- Report – to tell other people about something; to share information; announce; explain
- Operate – to control or use a machine; to manage; run; use;
- Lock in – to prevent someone/something from leaving a room or area; to block entrances/exits
- Lock down – an emergency situation in which people are not allowed to freely enter, leave, or move around in a building or area because of danger
- Measure(s) – plan; procedure; an action; a step
- Authorities – a group of people or organization with official legal power to make decisions or protect the law, e.g., the police or a government department
- Strict – severe; harsh; no flexibility; exact; strong
- Spread – to open out; to extend over an area; to move apart to cover a bigger area
Original story from Reuters below:
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