Vice premier emphasizes summarizing grassroots experience to enhance COVID-19 response

Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan attends a symposium to listen to the opinions and suggestions of frontline workers on improving epidemic containment measures at the National Health Commission on Dec. 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

BEIJING, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Thursday called for drawing on effective practices for fighting COVID-19 in communities while optimizing response measures.

Sun made the remarks at the National Health Commission when listening to the opinions and suggestions of frontline workers on improving epidemic containment measures.

She said the healthcare and disease control systems of the country had stood the test of the epidemic over the past nearly three years, and effective diagnostic and treatment methods and medicines have been developed.

More than 90 percent of the Chinese people have been fully vaccinated and health awareness of the public has been significantly improved. The pathogenicity of the Omicron virus is weakening, she said, adding that all these factors have created the conditions for tweaking the epidemic response measures.

Sun called for more epidemic control professionals for neighborhoods, reinforcing triage and treatment strategy at community hospitals and clinics, and strengthening health management and services for residents.

Acknowledging the important role of frontline workers in fighting the epidemic, Sun asked them to further study anti-COVID protocols to ensure that they are fully and accurately implemented.