China's State Council has moved to allow protective clothing in the medical industry to be sterilized through irradiation, instead of traditional methods.

The emergency regulation Friday is one of the latest policy moves to combat the coronavirus epidemic.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology says the purpose is to get qualified protective clothing to the frontlines as quickly as possible to save lives.

Through irradiation, the sterilization time will be shortened from almost two weeks to just one day, according to the ministry.

Around 50 companies and organizations nationwide are ready for the task. It's a process that's safe and commonly used, especially in food storage products and the medical industry.

"That means a life chance for the medical staff at the time," said Kang Siqing, a manager from China Isotope & Radiation Corporation, which belongs to the country's nuclear power giant, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).

Kang said that there are many ways to sterilize medical equipment before they are used in hospitals and this is a must for a life chance for the medical staff.

He is evaluating the current status of irradiation sterilization.

"A lot of practical work is being done, like detecting microbiological indicators and testing product performance. And the ultimate goal is to meet the protective property needs and hygienic standards after irradiation," Kang said.

Yin Yuji, another manager from the company, said that for even one of their companies, they are now capable of irradiating some 100,000 pieces of protective clothing each day.

"And from the efforts of over 50 companies and organizations nationwide, the critical need for protective clothing will be greatly eased," he said.

The lifespan of the protective clothing is about one month, and most companies are providing irradiation for free.

These efforts are expected to continue until the end of the epidemic.