In Beijing it looked like coronavirus was gone. Now we're living with a second wave

For just one day, Beijing was a Covid-free city. On Tuesday 9 June, local authorities reported that the last active Covid-19 case had been discharged from a local hospital. City health officials appeared without face masks at the daily press conference, to announce that there were “no new cases and no suspected infections”. Beijing, finally, seemed to breathe a little easier. The now-ubiquitous temperature checks, at the entrance to every office building, restaurant and hutong (alleyway), were dismantled. The Lama Temple and Beijing aquarium were open to the public for the first time since January and were immediately packed to capacity. It was a beautiful summer’s day – bright blue skies and the sharp Beijing light that glints golden on the city’s tower blocks.