Beijing halts weddings and funerals and closes schools in Covid fightback

Stockpiling rife as city acts in attempt to avoid Shanghai-style lockdown

Beijing has closed schools and suspended weddings and funerals in the city of 22 million in a whirlwind effort to avoid plunging China's capital into a Shanghai-style Covid lockdown.

Fears that Beijing could soon be in lockdown have already prompted widespread stockpiling, leading to shortages in some supermarkets.