The “New Ten Measures” for Epidemic Prevention and Control are Released; what Are the Enlightenments of Guangzhou’s Exploration 7 Days in Advance?

After China loosened its grip on preventing and controlling epidemics to their fullest extent, the prevalence of outbreaks in numerous regions increased dramatically. According to experts, infections are expected to peak in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and other cities within the next two months. More organizations have warned that easing epidemic prevention measures too quickly could result in the winter deaths of millions of people. (Li Meng, 2022)

Recently, Zhang Wenhong, director of the Infectious Diseases Department at Shanghai’s Huashan Hospital, Affiliated with Fudan University, delivered a speech at an internal hospital meeting posted to the Internet on Saturday (December 10). Zhang Wenhong predicted that the current epidemic in Shanghai would peak within a month. This epidemic will take between three and six months to eradicate. (Li Meng, 2022)

The Chinese Academy of Engineering academician Zhong Nanshan’s team calculated that the peak of the first wave of infections in Guangzhou could occur between mid-to-early January and mid-February of the following year before entering a stable phase in mid-to-early March. (Li Pan, 2022)

The Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council released the “New Ten Measures” on December 7 to further optimize and implement epidemic prevention and control measures. Guangzhou’s “testing the water” initiative was extended to the entire nation. (Li Pan, 2022)

With the release of the “New Ten Measures,” more cities will adapt to changes in epidemic prevention policies. Guangzhou, as a pioneer, is the first city to consume crabs. How it responds to the challenges following the unblocking will serve as a benchmark for other cities.

The number of infected individuals remained high, and many Guangzhou districts abruptly announced the end of temporary control areas. (People’s Government of Guangdong Province, 2022) Following the withdrawal of Guangzhou’s close contact standards, time and space passed, and multiple high-risk regions were transformed into low-risk areas. (People’s Government of Guangdong Province, 2022)

In many areas, fences have been removed, roadblocks have been removed, and public transportation, including buses and subways, has resumed orderly fashion. Other than hospitals and community health centres, according to some citizens, all other locations for nucleic acid testing have closed.  (Li Pan, 2022)

Guangzhou Yuexiu District, Nansha District, Huangpu District, Zengcheng District, and Panyu District issued a notice that Internet cafes, entertainment venues, movie theatres, indoor stadiums, bars, libraries, cultural centres, and museums, as well as other closed and semi-closed places, resumed operations, and dine-in services began to resume.(People’s Government of Guangdong Province, 2022)

Guangzhou residents no longer need to check the 48-hour nucleic acid negative certificate when entering a pharmacy to purchase medication, so long as the health code is green. The “New Ten Measures” go a step further, stating that the general public should not be prohibited from purchasing over-the-counter medications such as antipyretics, cough suppressants, antivirals, and cold remedies online and offline. (People’s Government of Guangdong Province, 2022)

In the future, residents of Guangzhou will only require a green health code to access the hospital’s general or emergency department. Panyu District proposes that qualified close contacts may implement home isolation. (People’s Government of Guangdong Province, 2022)

Guangzhou imposes stringent limitations on the use of covid testing scenarios. Except for medical treatment, travel, key locations (institutions), and key populations, other units and regions are prohibited from increasing the number of nucleic acid testing results. (Li Pan, 2022)

The number of reported cases in Guangzhou has gradually decreased over the past week. This does not indicate a decline in the number of positive infections. Due to the removal of nucleic acid testing points, many positive diseases have not yet been detected. (Li Pan, 2022) But people need not be overly concerned. Guangzhou once reported the following data: a total of 162,700 local positive cases of new coronary pneumonia were reported during this epidemic round; asymptomatic infections accounted for approximately 90 per cent of the total number of diseases; only four cases were severe and critical, and there were no fatalities. (People’s Government of Guangdong Province, 2022)

The “New Ten Articles” propose that asymptomatic infected individuals and mild cases eligible for home isolation are generally isolated at home, or they may choose centralized isolation for treatment. If you are HIV-positive, you do not need to visit a shelter. (People’s Government of Guangdong Province, 2022) This significant change is based on the discovery of Omicron’s low toxicity.

Numerous domestic and international studies indicate that children infected with Omicron have milder clinical symptoms, a shorter disease course, and a lower incidence of pneumonia and severe illness than adults. (Li Pan, 2022) Guangzhou’s student population is relatively cautious about offline instruction. It stipulates that except for senior high schools, primary and secondary schools in the city will not resume offline education for the time being. However tragically, AISG seniors were not allowed to return to school which has been a big challenge for students. “As the semester ends there are many assignments for us to submit. Not being able to return to school is unbelievable.” Says Amy. L, a senior at AISG.

The elderly are the most vulnerable. When infected with the new coronavirus, older adults over 60 are at risk for severe illness, and those over 80 are at an even greater risk for severe disease. After contracting the new coronavirus, patients with preexisting conditions are at a greater risk of developing severe disease. (Li Pan, 2022)

Implementing the “New Ten Rules” is an opportunity for urban development but a challenge for urban administration.