Nine questions about Beijing's latest COVID-19 outbreak (7)

Medics wave goodbye to the cured COVID-19 patients at the Xiaotangshan Hospital in Beijing, on April 28, 2020. [Photo by Zou Hong/chinadaily.com.cn]

Question 7: Does Xiaotangshan Hospital need to reopen?

Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital was built in 2003 to treat SARS-infected patients and started to receive COVID-19 patients on Jan 23. It discharged the last COVID-19 patient on April 28.

Wu said that there should be preparations that don't involve waiting to see if the outbreak expands.

"Our optimism is based on full preparations and full implementation of epidemic prevention measures, rather than blind optimism," he said.

Lei Haichao, Party chief of the Beijing Municipal Health Commission, said on May 17 that Beijing would keep the "3+2" medical treatment service system, involving Ditan Hospital, You'an Hospital, 302 Military Hospital, Xiaotangshan Hospital and China-Japan Friendship Hospital, during the COVID-19 pandemic.