China's dynamic zero-COVID policy continues yielding positive results

　　BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- China's epidemic control policy has proved to be science-based and effective, continuously yielding positive results in containing COVID-19.

　　China is a populous country of some 1.4 billion people, with about 267 million aged 60 and above. It is necessary and important for China to use the dynamic zero-COVID policy to defend its large number of vulnerable elderly people.

　　Considering the disparities between different regions in terms of development and medical resources, any relaxation of epidemic prevention and control would undoubtedly lead to widespread infections, and consequently a huge number of severe cases and deaths.

　　China's dynamic zero-COVID approach does not necessitate the elimination of all infections nationwide, but instead focuses on detecting and controlling the cases as early as possible, and taking measures to cut off transmission at the community level.

　　The policy has been playing a decisive role in getting a grip on the epidemic situation in the provinces of Jilin, Hebei, Jiangsu and Guangdong in recent months, and also Shanghai for the time being.

　　In spite of the more infectious Omicron variant of COVID-19, the rates of COVID-19-related deaths and hospitalizations in China have been far below the global average. This is enough to silence the naysayers regarding China's approach to epidemic control.

　　China's counter-epidemic measures have not only protected people's lives and health to the greatest possible extent, but also acted as an effective stabilizer of the country's economic development.

　　In the first quarter of 2022, China saw its gross domestic product growing 4.8 percent year on year, quickening from a 4 percent increase in the fourth quarter last year.

　　Without doubt, the dynamic zero-COVID approach is the best option for China in the battle against Omicron. In the face of the current severe global COVID-19 pandemic situation, the constantly mutating virus, and the uncertainties of the pandemic development, China must stick to the policy until it wins the battle against the virus.