Hong Kong urges testing, Shanghai struggles under lockdown

BEIJING (AP) — Hong Kong authorities are asking the entire population of more than 7.4 million to voluntarily test themselves for COVID-19 for three days in a row starting next week. The announcement by Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Saturday came as the southern Chinese city is struggling to contain its worst outbreak with authorities sending mixed signals about testing and lockdowns. Lam said a “compulsory, universal test” of the whole population is still essential, but did not say when that might happen. Authorities shelved the idea after a previous announcement caused panic buying. The prospect of school closures and other disruptions has the government caught between calls for loosening restrictions and Beijing’s demand for an extreme “zero-COVID” approach.