Beijing authorities announced on Sunday that a series of COVID-19 control and prevention measures would be lifted from Monday as most districts in the capital city have not reported community-level COVID-19 transmission for at least a week.

Except for Fengtai District and some places in Changping District, all restaurants in the city can resume dine-in services from Monday, city authorities said.

People can also go back to work after weeks of working from home. All public transportation including buses, subways and taxis will resume normal operation to passengers with a negative nucleic acid test result taken within 72 hours.

Seniors in high school returned to school on June 2, and primary and middle school students in most districts will return to campus on June 13, with kindergartens reopening on June 20.

Express delivery couriers and food delivery persons will be permitted to enter residential communities and villages starting Monday, but are encouraged to pursue contactless delivery, such as by putting delivery items at people's doors or delivery lockers.

The capital city reported 16 new confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and three local asymptomatic cases on Saturday, the Beijing municipal health commission said on Sunday.

(Cover: Residents buy food in front of a restaurant in Chaoyang District, Beijing, May 13, 2022. /CFP)