At today's epidemic control press conference, Shanghai's vice mayor, Zong Ming, announced the next steps the city is going to take in the ongoing effort to curb Omicron, as well as outlined our path out of lockdown:

We're sure you're familiar with the system that was enacted in Pudong. Specific areas in the district are being classified into three categories: "Lockdown Areas", "Control Areas", and "Prevention Areas", determined by their proximity to confirmed cases.

So, presumably, another nucleic test and then we all wait to see under which tier we're classified in?

A specific timeline for when this is to happen was not released. Nevertheless, if one were being cautiously optimistic, hopefully, we're closer to the other side of this thing than we are to the beginning.

To recap the "three areas", the place you want to be is in a "Prevention Area", which means you're allowed out of your house, with a few caveats. Looking back at Pudong, right after the lockdown was lifted in that part of the city, the amount of compounds that qualified to be classified as "Prevention Areas" was — wait for it — ZERO. Depending on the specific situation, they've had to do 7 or 14 more days of lockdown, with the testing and self health monitoring that goes along with that.

All the same... finger's crossed?

(below chart is subject to change)