Vegetables are sold out in a supermarket in Beijing’s Chaoyang district on Thursday as a Covid lockdown rumor triggered panic buying in the capital. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

Shoppers buy vegetables and instant food in a supermarket in Chaoyang district. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

The nearly empty vegetable stalls of a supermarket in Chaoyang district. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

Shoppers wait in line to pay for their groceries at a supermarket in Chaoyang district. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

A shopper buys vegetables Thursday at Xinlihou Market in Beijing’s Fengtai district. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

Shoppers pick up vegetables at Xinlihou Market. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

Some canned foods are placed on the floor in a Wumart store in Fengtai district on Thursday. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

A shopper waiting to pay for his groceries takes a photo of the queue at Wumart. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

Shoppers form a long line behind a checkout counter in Wumart. Photo: Ding Gang/Caixin

A shopper walks out of a supermarket holding her groceries in Chaoyang district. The official denied the rumor at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, though they encouraged residents to stay at home. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin

A shopper carries her groceries to home in Fengtai district. From 3 p.m. Thursday to 3 p.m. Friday, the city reported 51 new local cases, and three new rounds of mass testings have start in the capital’s 12 district on Friday. Photo: Zhang Ruixue/Caixin