Local governments across China have begun requisitioning rapid testing kits, face masks and cold and fever medicine produced in factories in their regions, in a battle for supplies to cope with a deluge of coronavirus infections that has followed the relaxation of the country’s zero-Covid containment policy.

Ten Chinese companies, producing everything from Ibuprofen to Covid-19 testing kits, have in recent days issued statements or confirmed in interviews that all of their production would be sent to government groups rather than fulfilling private orders.  

“It’s a desperate situation, but it’s every man for themselves,” said an official in the eastern city of Nanjing, where four producers of rapid Covid-19 testing kits have been asked to report their production to the government and prioritise local customers.