The Lancet, an authoritative academic publication in the medical field, has published an editorial saying that the rapid containment of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic in China was impressive and set an encouraging example for other countries.

Aggressive public health interventions in China, such as early detection of cases, contact tracing, and population behavioural change, have contributed enormously to containing the epidemic, according to the editorial.

In addition, the Fangcang shelter hospitals have also been crucial in relieving the huge pressure on the health-care system.

At present, China is gradually and cautiously resuming work and reopening schools. Implementing a science-based lockdown exit strategy is essential to sustain containment of COVID-19. China’s experience will be watched closely, as other countries start considering—and, in some cases, implementing— their own exit strategies, the editorial said.

The editorial also said that the over-riding public health priority for China is to closely monitor the instantaneous reproduction number (Rt) and confirmed case-fatality risk. Restrictions should be relaxed gradually so that the Rt does not exceed 1. Otherwise, cases would increase exponentially again, unleashing a second wave of infection.