Vice Premier calls for further optimization of COVID efforts
VICE Premier Sun Chunlan on Wednesday underlined the importance of constantly optimizing the country’s COVID-19 response.
Sun, who oversees COVID efforts, told a meeting of frontline experts that the Omicron variant was weakening in its ability to cause disease, allowing China to improve prevention efforts.
She made the remarks at the National Health Commission when listening to experts’ opinions and advice on improving epidemic containment measures.
Over the past three years, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council have always put people’s health first, and effectively dealt with the uncertainties of the COVID-19 situation with a consistent strategy and flexible measures to fight the virus, Sun noted.
“After nearly three years fighting against the epidemic, our country’s medical and healthcare system has withstood the test,” she said in remarks published by Xinhua news agency.
“The vaccination rate of the entire population exceeds 90 percent and public health awareness and quality has been improved significantly,” Sun noted.
She said the country is facing a new situation and new tasks in epidemic prevention and control as the pathogenicity of the Omicron virus weakens, more people are vaccinated and experience in containing the virus is accumulated.
Sun urged efforts to further optimize the COVID-19 response, improve diagnosis, testing, treatment and quarantine measures, strengthen immunization of the whole population, particularly the elderly, and step up the preparation of
medications and other medical resources.
Cases nationwide remain near record highs but the changes come as some cities have been lifting their lockdowns in recent days, and a top official said the ability of the virus to cause disease was weakening.
Authorities in at least seven districts of Guangzhou said on Tuesday they were lifting temporary lockdowns. One district said it would allow schools, restaurants and businesses including cinemas to reopen.
Cities, including Chongqing and Zhengzhou, also announced easing.
In Beijing, some communities have begun preparing for changes.
A community in the city’s east held an online poll this week on the possibility of positive cases isolating at home, residents said.
Chinese stocks and markets around the world dipped initially, but later recovered on hopes that public pressure could lead to a new approach by authorities.