**Beijing Tightens Covid Restrictions as Cluster Grows, Sparks Panic Buying**
* Beijing reports 22 new Covid-19 cases, raising the city’s total to 145 since Friday.
* Authorities impose new restrictions, including closing schools and public venues, and restricting travel.
* Residents rush to stock up on food and other essential supplies, leading to panic buying at supermarkets.
**Beijing**, **April 23, 2023** – Beijing has tightened Covid-19 restrictions as a new cluster of cases grows, prompting panic buying among residents.
On Sunday, the city reported 22 new Covid-19 infections, bringing the total number of cases linked to the current outbreak to 145 since Friday.
In response, the Beijing city government has imposed a series of new restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.
Schools and kindergartens have been closed until further notice, and public venues such as cinemas, museums, and indoor sports facilities have been ordered to suspend operations.
Travel restrictions have also been put in place, with residents advised to avoid non-essential travel within the city and to refrain from leaving Beijing unless necessary.
The tightening of restrictions has sparked panic buying among Beijing residents, who rushed to supermarkets and convenience stores to stock up on food, water, and other essential supplies.
Long queues were seen outside many supermarkets, and shelves were quickly emptied of items such as rice, noodles, cooking oil, and toilet paper.
Some residents reported having to wait in line for hours to enter supermarkets, and there were concerns that panic buying could lead to shortages of essential goods.
The Beijing government has urged residents to remain calm and to avoid hoarding supplies, assuring them that there is sufficient food and other necessities available.
However, the panic buying suggests that many residents are worried about the potential for a wider outbreak and possible food shortages.
The current outbreak in Beijing is linked to a cluster of cases at a bar in the Chaoyang district, which has become a major hotspot for infections.
Health authorities are conducting contact tracing and testing to identify and isolate close contacts of the infected individuals.
The Chinese government has adopted a strict .
