Table 3 China’s COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control policies

1

Lockdown Wuhan

On January 23, 2020, the government put the city under lockdown by shutting services at the airport, railway stations, ferry ports and long-distance bus stations. On April 8, Wuhan lifted lockdown.

2

Establishing a Leading Group to combat COVID-19

(1) The central government established a leading group for epidemic response work.

(2) The central government dispatched guidance groups to Hubei and other epidemic-stricken areas to uniformly guide local epidemic control.

3

The principle of early cases detection, reporting, quarantine and treatment

(1) On February 3, President Xi required that epidemic control measures be improved and strengthened and that the principle of early detection, reporting, quarantine and treatment be strictly observed.

(2) He called for saving lives by raising admission and cure rates and lowering infection and fatality rates.

4

Classified management of “four categories of personnel”

(1) Wuhan began to adopt measures to put four categories of people – confirmed cases, suspected cases, febrile patients who might be carriers, and close contacts – under classified management in designated facilities. The policy of ensuring that all those in need are tested, isolated, hospitalized or treated was implemented.

(2) Actions were taken to conduct mass screenings to identify people with infections, hospitalize them, and collect accurate data on case numbers in the whole country.

5

Counterpart assistance

(1) Mobilizing national medical resources to fully support medical treatment in Hubei Province and Wuhan City. From January 24 to March 8, a total of 346 national medical teams, 42,600 medical personnel and more than 900public health workers were mobilized to assist Hubei.

(2) Establishing an inter-provincial counterpart support mechanism for COVID-19 medical treatment in cities other than Wuhan in Hubei Province.

(3) Mobilizing 40,000 builders and thousands of mechanical equipment from all over the country, built the Huoshen Shan Hospital with 1000 beds in only 10 days, and built the Leishenshan Hospital with 1600 beds in only 12 days. In just over 10 days, 16 mobile cabin hospitals were built, with a total of more than 14,000 beds.

(4) The central government cooperated with local governments and enterprises to supply living materials in Hubei Province and Wuhan City to ensure the normal operation of the society.

6

Nationwide public health measures

(1) Temperature screening is set up in various places across the country.

(2) Taking effective measures to avoid personnel gathering and cross-infection: extend the Spring Festival holiday, cancel or postpone gathering activities, lock down various schools; close entertainment venues; public service places that need to be opened must take body temperature and wear Masks; encourage employees to telecommute.

(3) Implementing community closed management nationwide. Residents in and out of the community register and check their body temperature.

(4) Carrying out extensive public education in community.

Residents consciously implement public health requirements such as home isolation and 14 days after cross-regional travel, strictly implement health living habits such as wearing masks, observing social distance, reducing gathering.