Beijing [China], June 21 (ANI): Xi Jinping's zero-COVID policy and the harsh lockdown affected roughly 25 million people in China's financial centre and its largest metropolis Shanghai and what is important is that it was avoidable.

In early June China's financial centre and its largest metropolis Shanghai announced that it is finally phasing out its harshest "zero-COVID" lockdown after more than two months.

Roughly 25 million residents became prisoners in their own homes, many hauled away to quarantine centers without any recourse, COVID-positive babies forcibly separated from parents, some starved as there were food shortages, and the sick and elderly lost access to life-saving medical treatments, The Washington Times reported.

The cumulative effect on this mega-city is learned helplessness on a massive scale. Consequently, there may be a long-lasting impact on the outlook of the populace, especially its middle class and the young generation, as the feelings of powerlessness and the unpredictable nature of the lockdown were forced upon them. While economic activities may soon be bustling again, the psychological wounds could leave permanent scars, it added.

According to the media outlet, the Chinese Communist Party leadership, under the direction of Chair Xi Jinping, fully and opportunistically took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A few weeks after Shanghai began "unlocking", businessmen and merchants in China's financial hub still are finding it difficult to resume their businesses and are demanding exemption on rents they are paying for their shops.

Videos posted by Chinese social media accounts show merchants protesting and demanding rent refunds. It can be clearly seen in the videos that people are holding placards with "No refund/cancellation of rent, no reopening" written on them.

The protestors in the videos are seen to be suppressed by a large number of public security officials, as per the media outlet. Calling for a relief package from the government, shop owners in Shanghai have held a rally. These citizens are bearing the brunt of the economic fallout from China's stringent COVID-19 lockdown measures in Shanghai, reported NHK.

During the protest, over 100 owners gathered in a central part of the city, which is home to garment wholesalers and retailers in other fields. According to the protestors, they lost the opportunity to make money during the lockdown period, which came to an end on June 1 for much of the city.

However, in continuation with China's stern COVID measures those coming from medium- and high-risk regions in Shanghai are required to stay in centralized quarantine for seven days and another week at home, while people from other places in Shanghai will only have to stay at home for seven days for health monitoring. (ANI)