Chinese authorities on Thursday called for efforts to guarantee the pandemic control work during the upcoming May Day holiday. 

The instructions were given at a meeting of the leading group of China's COVID-19 epidemic response, which was chaired by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. 

The meeting urged relevant departments to tighten pandemic control measures, especially in public transportation, hotels and scenic spots, and to prepare the response plan. 

Any occurrence of the pandemic should be handled quickly and the information should be released in an open and timely manner, said the meeting.

It pointed out that the public should continue to implement protective measures such as hand washing, ventilation, disinfection, maintaining a reasonable social distance, and wearing masks in a scientific way. 

Public places like malls, restaurants, gyms and libraries should resume business under the premise of good containment measures, stressed the group. 

The meeting also requested an acceleration of R&D of the test kit and medical equipment as well as the improvement of testing capability, so as to promote accurate prevention and control and full-scale resumption of production. 

The meeting said the State Council has sent a leading group to Heilongjiang Province to improve the prevention and control measures there, especially in hospitals.