With the faint hope that Shanghai will someday see the end of the lockdown, we'll also have to be mentally prepared for a longer period of time after that when we're going to need to constantly show an up-to-date negative Covid test result to get in anywhere.

To those ends, news reports this past week have seen the Shanghai government posting information about thousands of Covid test sites, including permanent and temporary locations, the latter of which look like pop-up police boxes.

Shanghai loves a pop-up.

There are too many planned Covid test sites to list on the SmSh directory but here's how to navigate the Suishenban app to easily find one near you, should you find yourself, at some point in the distant future, out in front of a warehouse rave and lacking the proper documentation to get in.

Step 1: Open Suishenban App (search for 随申办) from the Apple and Google app stores.

You can also open that app from within Alipay, search for 随申办 and click on the first result.

Step 2: Click "核酸采样点", which means "PCR Test Sites." The icon looks different on Alipay.

Step 3: You will be re-directed to a page with a list of test locations organized by proximity to your current location. Different icons indicate how busy each place is. You may click the specific icon for the respective categories and features, such as a compound, a hospital, and a temporary site.

Pay extra special close attention to the word "面向", which indicates who they are able to test at this venue. If it says, "面向社会", aka, "open to the public", then everyone can go. However, if a test location is in a compound or an office building, it may say "面向所在小区", which means it's only accessible to residents or workers at that specific place.

You can also filter the general list by clicking "筛选" — "filter" — which narrows your results down.

Step 4: Click the icon on the right side of the venue name to see the map and directions on how to get there.

That's it.

Also, don't forget to check our essential information page for other information and resources regarding the current and ongoing Covid situation in Shanghai.