context: The dilemma of disease control and work resumption continues to worry local authorities. As COVID-19 starts to come under control outside Hubei, central authorities now see the opportunity to reverse some previous measures and gradually encourage the resumption of work.
State Council’s coordinated prevention and control mechanism released ‘Guiding opinions on scientific and precise prevention and control’ on 17 Feb 2020, specifying
- local authorities should implement measures calibrated with different levels of danger
- differentiating prevention, control and work resumption measures in different counties
- enhancing government leadership
NHC (National Health Commission) released ‘Announcement on scientifically, legally and precisely controlling and preventing COVID-19’ on 25 Feb 2020, specifying
- general requirements
- specific measures
- enhancing control of people’s movements, preventing risk of contagion
- managing people according to different categories
- implementing early discovery, early reporting, early quarantine and early treatment
- encouraging electronic health certificates
- implementing prevention and control measures in key locations
- ensuring community control
- ensuring enterprises and schools implement relevant measures
- enhancing control and prevention in public places
- enhancing control in specific institutions
- enhancing control and prevention in rural areas
- enhancing control of people’s movements, preventing risk of contagion
- enhancing government leadership
At a press conference, Ou Xiaoli 欧晓理 NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) Department of Social Affairs director says counties outside of Hubei and Beijing should be categorised into low, medium and high risk regions, reports Caixin. Different policies should specify
- low risk regions
- lift transportation restrictions
- actively help enterprises resume work
- medium risk regions
- implement prevention and control measures as people return to work
- high risk regions
- continue to focus on disease prevention and control, but critical sectors operate normally
He Qinghua 贺青华 NHC Department of Disease Control Grade 1 Inspector says these categories should be frequently reassessed and adjusted. Provinces may also reduce their levels of emergency response. But for low risk regions, people still need to ensure personal protection.