US pulls non-emergency staff from Shanghai

{O/C} And amid the strict lockdown to contain an untoward COVID case surge, the United States has ordered non-emergency government staff to leave Shanghai.

The U.S. State Department portrayed the decision as an upgrade from the voluntary departure advisory last week.

Non-emergency U.S. government employees at the consulate in Shanghai as well as their family members are subject to the latest move.

But consular officers will remain on duty at that consulate.