China enters a new stage of COVID-19 response

BEIJING, Jan. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from People's Daily: China released the 10th COVID-19 prevention and control protocol on Jan. 7, outlining regular disease surveillance requirements and ramped-up measures to counter an emergency. It has also downgraded its management of COVID-19 from Class A to Class B since Jan. 8, entering a new stage of COVID-19 response.

Over the past three years, China has always maintained its strategic initiative in its fight against COVID-19. It has withstood the impact of five rounds of global COVID-19 outbreaks and effectively handled more than 100 cluster outbreaks, buying precious time for the research, development and application of vaccines and medicines, and the preparation of medical resources.

China has been optimizing and adjusting its COVID prevention and control measures in light of the evolving situation. It has effectively avoided widespread infections with the original strain and the Delta variant, which are relatively more pathogenic than the other variants.

After China downgraded its management of COVID-19 from Class A to Class B, the country has shifted its focus from infection prevention to medical treatment and prevention of severe cases. It has taken relevant measures to safeguard people's life and health to the greatest extent possible and minimize the impact of COVID-19 on economic and social development.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has raged across the globe, almost all countries have been affected to some extent.

In China, putting people's lives and health first has been the primary consideration in formulating policies for the prevention and control of the pandemic. China has paid the treatment cost for COVID-19 patients in designated hospitals, provided free COVID-19 vaccination for all its citizens, and included anti-COVID-19 drugs in the national medical insurance system.

Articles published in the world-leading medical journal The Lancet pointed out that the Chinese government has saved thousands of lives through its huge investment in public health, and the country's experience in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic is worth learning by other countries.

In 2022, despite the impacts of the COVID-19 resurgence and other unexpected factors, China's economy registered a V-shaped recovery with an estimated annual economic output exceeding 120 trillion yuan ($17.69 trillion), once again demonstrating strong resilience.

As China's COVID-19 response has entered a new stage, it continues to optimize its science-based COVID-19 prevention and control measures to ensure a smooth transition and maintain social stability, laying a solid foundation for steady economic recovery.

Since Jan. 8, 2023, people in China have no longer been required to take temperature checks when entering passenger terminals or taking public transport.

In addition, the country has lifted anti-COVID-19 restrictions on international passenger flights, and optimized its regulations on travel between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao.

Various regions and authorities in the country have ramped up efforts during the transition period. At present, the country sees the accelerated resumption of work and production, gradual reopening of businesses and markets, and positive new changes in people's work and life.

Recently, the central business districts of many cities in China have seen a resurgence, with catering and entertainment consumption rebounding quickly.

The Bund in Shanghai was crowded with people on New Year's Eve; the SKP shopping mall in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan province, saw a long line on the first day of its soft opening; and the most popular shopping district in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan province, is jam-packed with visitors.

As the country's COVID-19 response has been further optimized, China is unleashing its development vitality at a faster pace.

"Since the 10 new measures were rolled out to optimize COVID-19 response, the online search for air tickets surged seven times. After the COVID-19 management measures were downgraded from Class A to Class B, bookings for domestic air tickets spiked to the peak of the recent three months," said Guo Lechun, vice-president of the big data research institute of online travel service provider Qunar.com.

As long as China can truly unleash its advantages and dynamism, proceed with confidence, and pool strength, it is bound to secure a full victory in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.