China's strong measures to contain the coronavirus have proven effective, as the new confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland dropped to eight on Thursday. Companies in many parts of the country now have got back to work under measures of infection prevention and control. /Xinhua

The operating rate of large industrial enterprises reached over 95% in provinces outside Hubei Province, while about 60% of small and medium-sized enterprises outside Hubei have returned to work, said Xin Guobin, vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Friday. /Xinhua

In an official guideline released by the State Council, companies that return to work are required to track staff's health conditions every day, measure their body temperatures before entering, regularly clean and disinfect public spaces, reduce gatherings and on-site meetings and report suspicious cases to local health authorities. /Xinhua

A series of policies to support companies to get back to work are being carried out by the government, including simplifying administrative procedures, offering online services, cutting pension contributions and insurance fees. /Xinhua

In provinces such as Zhejiang, banks start to offer special loans to companies, especially those producing emergency supplies and daily necessities. China Railway organized special trains to help workers return to work. /Xinhua