Shanghai Covid lockdown: The struggle of blind massage therapists

In early June, Shanghai emerged from a strict two-month citywide lockdown, in a country that has been pursuing a hard zero-Covid policy.

Though authorities claim life is back to normal, residents are adapting to a ‘new normal’ of frequent mass testing, contact tracing and small-scale community lockdowns to try to stamp out any Covid cases.

Many businesses are struggling and workers are feeling the effects.

For those who are blind or partially sighted, the massage industry is a vital employment lifeline. But workers say the effects of lockdown and a lack of government support are making life particularly difficult.

The BBC spoke to one group about their plight.

Video by the BBC’s Shanghai team

19 July 2022