Local communities cannot refuse or prevent people traveling from outside Shanghai returning to their neighborhoods, the city's COVID-19 prevention authority said.

The district governments should supervise their subdistricts and towns to properly explain the policies and receive people coming or returning to the city according to stipulations, said Zhao Dandan, deputy director of Shanghai Health Commission.

The city stipulates that people coming or returning to Shanghai from other cities or provinces must have a negative PCR report within 48 hours before their arrival, Zhao said.