City optimizes COVID prevention and control measures

Shenzhen will further optimize its COVID-19 prevention and control measures based on the ninth edition of the country’s COVID-19 control protocols and the 20 optimized measures on epidemic prevention and control released Nov. 11, a health official said at a press conference yesterday.

Lin Hancheng, a senior official from the Shenzhen Municipal Health Commission, said that Shenzhen will make targeted efforts in five aspects.

People have their body temperatures checked before going to their workplaces at Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Science and Technology Park in Futian District yesterday. Yang Shaokun

The city will designate risk areas, conduct epidemiological investigations and carry out nucleic acid testing in a scientific manner, properly handle the quarantine of close contacts and ramp up COVID-19 vaccinations, according to Lin.

In principle, Shenzhen will designate the residences of infected people, as well as their workplaces and areas they frequent with high risk of COVID transmission as high-risk areas.

High-risk areas should be generally designated at apartment blocks and buildings, and shall not be expanded at will. Lockdown measures shall be lifted in a timely manner for buildings that meet the conditions.

The city will carry out epidemiological investigations in a scientific and precise way, and accurately determine close contacts. The screening scope of close contacts shall not be expanded at will.

Staying with a COVID patient for 10 minutes at the same time and space within 14 days shall not be used as the standard for determining close contacts, according to the health authority.

In principle, close contacts are subject to centralized quarantine and observation, and close contacts meeting home quarantine conditions should be allowed to undergo home quarantine.

Nucleic acid testing is carried out for workers and key personnel at risk of infection. In general, mass nucleic acid testing shall not be carried out subdistrict-wide, district-wide and citywide.

The city will also optimize COVID vaccination services for residents and in particular, promote the vaccination of the elderly.

According to Li Xiaoheng, deputy director of the Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccinations still remain effective in preventing severe disease and deaths due to COVID infection.

“Senior citizens over 60 are at risk of severe disease caused by COVID-19 infection, and those aged over 80 are at even higher risk of severe illness,” Li said.

Li added that the city will provide the elderly with the utmost convenience in COVID vaccinations such as setting up green channels, picking them up for inoculation with shuttle buses and vaccination at their doorsteps.

Shenzhen reported 22 confirmed COVID cases and 30 asymptomatic infections from 12:01 a.m. to 12 p.m. yesterday.