Taxi firms will start providing services to citizens in Shanghai on Monday by appointments, the local government on Sunday announced, in an effort to meet the citizens' transportation needs between home and hospitals amid the city's varied lockdowns to curb COVID-19.

Shanghai has been increasing its mobility restriction measures as the city's daily infection and asymptomatic infections climbed from dozens in early March to over 25,000 in recent days. The taxi service was also halted since the beginning of April, when the city went into closed-off management. Many elder people or people with chronic diseases have been finding it difficult to visit hospitals due to the lack of transport or anti-pandemic restrictions that discourage them from leaving home.

Citizens who need to go to the hospital can make an appointment from Monday, the government said in a WeChat post, adding that details of how to make an appointment will be informed by their communities' management.

Meanwhile, discharged citizens from hospitals in Shanghai's central area, which is within the outer ring road, can make an appointment for a taxi by dialing 62580000, with the premise holding a discharge certificate issued by the hospital and a 24-hour nucleic acid negative report.

Such appointments need to be made at least 24 hours in advance, the post said.

These taxis will strictly implement epidemic prevention measures and point-to-point services, the post said.