A freight train carrying cold-chain necessities is loaded before leaving Nanning in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for Shanghai in east China, April 11. /CFP
Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan has called on Shanghai to redouble efforts to meet people's need for medical care and daily necessities as the city battles a COVID-19 outbreak.
Sun made the remarks during an inspection tour on Monday and Tuesday when she presided over meetings on control of the virus and visited a residential community, a wholesale market and a makeshift hospital.
She called for renewed confidence in defeating the outbreak and in strict and swift measures to stem the spread.
The vice premier urged intensified efforts to improve the medical treatment of COVID-19 patients, tailor treatments according to the severity of their conditions, and for the optimal allocation of medical resources to fulfill medical care needs.
A staff member disinfects the construction site of a makeshift hospital at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) in east China's Shanghai, April 8, 2022. /Xinhua
To prevent the export of COVID-19, Sun underscored the importance of closed-loop management and nucleic acid testing of people leaving Shanghai, including construction workers who helped build makeshift hospitals and delivery truck drivers.
At the same time, she said officials should avoid the simplistic implementation of control measures, warning that this could lead to traffic congestion and the breaking down of supply and industrial chains.
Supply crunches are being caused in some areas by stringent anti-COVID travel and testing requirements, with some expressway services suspended and traffic congestion around roadside testing booths.
The State Council of China also on Monday urged all possible efforts to ensure the smooth transportation of medical and epidemic-prevention supplies, daily necessities, postal and express deliveries, as well as production material to minimize the impact on economic and social activities.
A Ministry of Transport circular issued on Tuesday prohibited the blocking of roads or the forced return of vehicles or personnel, irrespective of the circumstances, and ordered more efficient COVID-19 screening along transport routes.
Shanghai has been battling its worst resurgence of COVID-19 since March. The city reported 1,189 new local confirmed cases and 25,141 local asymptomatic carriers on Tuesday.