PCR Mania: China’s 15,000+ Testing Booths Keep the Virus in Check
Fast‑forward to today, and it feels like we’re living in a high‑tech version of San Francisco—except every corner, streetcorner and even the bus stops have a tiny, government‑run testing booth. If you thought “COVID‑19” was history, hold onto your mask.
Why Every Umbrella Corner Is a Health Checkpoint
After the world’s first big case of pneumonia popped up in Wuhan on 31 Dec 2019, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and other Chinese metropolises decided to keep the spread in check by turning cities into “remote hearing stations.” Each booth is a compact trailer with a bright sign that reads “PCR Test.” Inside, a para‑medic (dressed in hazmat gear) takes a quick swab from your throat, and you walk out with a three‑day‑valid negative test certificate.
How the System Works
China’s policy is simple:
- Shiny booths. 15,000 in Shanghai, 10,000 in Beijing, 7,000+ in Shenzhen.
- 24/7 operation. Many booths run around the clock—because people don’t pause for pandemics.
- Mandatory paperwork. A recent negative PCR test is the only ticket to restaurants, offices, and public transit.
The Collection of Opinions (and I‑hear‑them‑like a Meme)
And, just like any other big life change, it has its skeptics—
“Doing a PCR test every two days, I really feel it’s a pure waste of resources.”
— a Weibo user lamented. The sentiment echoed through the net: “I don’t need a test for a year; my gene is good!”
The Good, The Bad, and The “Wow‑That’s10,000 Booths in Shanghai”
Positive side: Speedy isolation. Detect positive cases fast, quarantine close contacts, and keep the city slim. Negative side: Massive cost. Health workers in bio‑hazmat suits, 24/7 operations, and supply chains for swabs and reagents.
Both sides agree: the system is keeping the Omicron NPs (Nano Pockets?) under control, but it’s also a massive, unnecessary expenditure for many. After all, why spend a mind‑bogging about 15,000 booths when the next pandemic might just hop over to us in the sweetest repeat of the past?
Bottom Line
China’s routine PCR testing has become the new norm, ensuring the city’s people can enjoy their daily crush of telecommuting, karaoke, and cafés with minimal fear. The #Omicron variant may be milder, but the city’s “pop‑culture of testing” shows it’s not going anywhere—at least until the next eerie wave decides to crash the party.
