China's Novel Coronavirus Response: Guidelines for Governments, Communities, Entities and Individuals to Combat COVID-19

China’s Novel Coronavirus Response

Guidelines for Governments, Communities, Entities and Individuals to Combat COVID-19

Compiled and edited by Xibai Gao

Lisa Cella Press

This book contains English translation of Chinese laws and regulations and compilation of government documents. The English translation and compilation are copyrighted. No part of the publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Permission requests should be sent to Lisa Cella Press via e-mail at [email protected] or via fax: 607-699-1022.

© 2020 by Lisa Cella Press

ISBN 978-1-953266-00-2

Medical Disclaimer

All contents of this book for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. We do not recommend or endorse any specific plans, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be provided herein, reliance on which is solely at your own risk.

About the Editor

Xibai Gao is a New York licensed attorney. He graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2000 with an LL.M. degree and Renmin University Law School (China) in 1998 with a Master of Law degree. He currently practices law in the State of New York.

Contents

Foreword

Abbreviation

1. Get to Know the Novel Coronavirus  /  1

1.1 The Novel Coronavirus

1.2 The Novel Coronavirus’s Transmission Routes

1.3 Susceptible Population of the Novel Coronavirus

1.4 Symptoms of Novel Coronavirus Infection

1.5 The Differences between COVID-19 and Common Cold and Flu

1.6 Clinical Manifestations of COVID-19

1.7 Confirmation of COVID-19

1.8 Treatment of COVID-19

2. Measures Taken by the Governments  / 7

2.1 Adaption of Class A Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Measures for Class B Infectious Disease According to Law

2.2 The Work Plan for COVID-19 Prevention and Control

2.3 Legal, Scientific and Precise Prevention and Control of COVID-19

2.4 Prevention of Virus Spreading by Transportation

2.5 Virus Prevention and Control in Communities

2.6 Maintaining Medical Order

2.7 Standardizing and Strengthening Disinfection

2.8 Psychological Assistance

2.9 Virus Prevention and Control for Children, Pregnant Women and Women in Labor and Delivery

2.10 Virus Prevention and Control at Welfare Institution Residents

2.11 Safeguard for the People in Need

2.12 Safeguard for Daily Supplies

3. Measures for Individuals / 55

3.1 Personnel Health Management Technology Guidelines

3.2 Guidelines for the Protection of Groups with Different Risks

3.3 Guidelines for the Use of Masks

3.4 Technical Guidelines for the Selection and Use of Masks for Different Populations

3.5 Guidelines for the Use of Disinfectants

3.6 Guidelines for the Virus Prevention and Control for the Elderlies

4. Measures Taken by Communities / 85

4.1 Community Virus Prevention and Control Guidelines

4.2 Community (Township, Village) COVID-19 Prevention and Control Guidelines

4.3 Community IT Construction and Application Guidelines for Virus Prevention and Control

5. Measures Taken by Entities / 101

5.1 COVID-19 Prevention and Control Technical Solutions in Offices and Public Places

5.2 Operation Guidelines for A/C and Ventilation Systems of Offices and Public Places

5.3 COVID-19 Prevention and Control Technical Solutions for Industrial Enterprises and Construction Companies

5.4 COVID-19 Prevention and Control Technical Solutions for Shopping Malls, Supermarkets and Other Public Places

5.5 COVID-19 Prevention and Control Technical Solutions for Passenger Stations and Transportation Vehicles

5.6 Technical Guidelines for Disinfecting Public Transport

5.7 COVID-19 Prevention and Control Technical Solutions for Childcare Institutions

5.8 COVID-19 Prevention and Control Technical Solutions for Primary and Middle Schools

5.9 COVID-19 Prevention and Control Technical Solutions for Colleges and Universities

5.10 COVID-19 Prevention and Control Technical Solutions for Prisons

5.11 COVID-19 Prevention and Control Technical Solutions for Nursing Homes

5.12 COVID-19 Prevention and Control Technical Solutions for Child Welfare Home

5.13 Guidelines on Virus Prevention and Control Measures for the Resumption of Work and Production at Enterprises and Institutions

6. Measures Taken by Health Institutions / 161

6.1 COVID-19 Prevention and Control Program (6th Edition)

6.2 The Four Early Technical Guidelines on COVID-19 Control

6.3 COVID-19 Prevention and Control Technical Guidelines for Medical Institutions

6.4 COVID-19 Diagnose and Treatment Plan (7th Edition)

6.5 Patient Transfer Operation Guidelines

6.6 Guidelines for the Use of Medical Protective Equipment

6.7 Guidelines for Observation of the First Diagnosis of Suspected COVID-19 Patients with Mild Symptom at Isolation Points

6.8 Guidance on Infection Prevention and Control for Home Medicine Observation

6.9 Rehabilitation Plan for Discharged COVID-19 Patients

6.10 Guiding Principles for Emergency Psychological Crisis Intervention

6.11 Key Points of Psychological Crisis Intervention for Different Groups

Appendix: List of Relevant Chinese Laws, Regulations and Guidelines / 229

Foreword

This book may help explain what China did to largely contain the novel coronavirus to the city of Wuhan within China. To fight the novel coronavirus, China has adopted a series of powerful and extraordinary measures and achieved remarkable results. We compile some of the measures formulated, advocated, and/or organized by the Chinese central government and its departments. China's defense measures against the novel coronavirus are divided into five categories: government, individual, community, entity, and medical system. It also includes guidelines for the resumption of work within entities. Therefore, this book could be useful for government agencies, individuals, communities, or entities when formulating their own rules, policies, and methods of COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control.

The laws, regulations and rules compiled in this book are selected from the official websites of China's central government and its health commission. Here, we pay high respect to the departments and personnel who have researched, drafted, formulated, and implemented them. It is their efforts that enabled China to contain and control COVID-19 in such a relatively short period, which is a huge and extremely difficult task.

With this book, we attempt to show a complete picture of China confronting COVID-19, but there are still many virus-containing measures that have not been included. Some translations of the Chinese laws and regulation may not be complete, accurate or literal. Meanwhile, we realize that there are some errors, typos, and mistranslations due to the time constraints in planning, revising, coordinating, and translating materials for this book. When using this book, caution is highly advised. We hope the next edition of this book will be more thoroughly reviewed and improved.

A very special thanks to my publishing team who made this book possible.

Editor

March 13, 2020

Abbreviation

1. Get to Know the Novel Coronavirus

1.1 The Novel Coronavirus

The novel coronavirus belongs to the β- type coronavirus, which has an envelope, and the particles are round or oval, often polymorphic, with a diameter of 60-140nm. Its genetic characteristics are significantly different from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Current research shows that it has more than 85% homology with bat SARS-like coronavirus (bat-SL-CoVZC45). In vitro isolation and culture, 2019-nCoV can be found in human respiratory epithelial cells in about 96 hours, while it takes about 6 days to isolate and culture in Vero E6 and Huh-7 cell lines.

Most of the understanding of the physical and chemical properties of coronavirus comes from the research of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The virus is sensitive to ultraviolet rays and heat. Lipid solvents such as ether, 75% ethanol, chlorine-containing disinfectant, peroxyacetic acid, and chloroform can inactivate the virus. Virus can also be inactivated by heat for 30 minutes at 56 ° C. Chlorhexidine cannot inactivate the virus.

1.2 The Novel Coronavirus’ Transmission Routes

Human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus does exist.

Respiratory droplets and close contact transmission are the main routes of transmission. There is the possibility of aerosol transmission in a relatively closed environment for a long-time exposure to high concentrations of aerosol.

Droplets are generally considered to be water-containing particles with a diameter > 5um. Droplets can enter susceptible mucosal surfaces through a certain distance (typically within 1 meter). The generation of droplets: 1) coughing, sneezing or talking; 2) performing invasive respiratory tract operations, such as sputum suction or tracheal intubation, turning over, patting the back, etc. during irritating cough and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Direct contact refers to the transmission of pathogens through direct contact with mucous membranes or skin. Routes of contact: 1) Blood or bloody fluids enter the body through mucous membranes or damaged skin. 2) Direct contact with secretions containing certain pathogens causes transmission.

1.3 Susceptible Population of the Novel Coronavirus

The crowd is generally susceptible.

1.4 Symptoms of Novel Coronavirus Infection

Suspicious symptoms of novel coronavirus infection include fever, cough, sore throat, chest tightness, dyspnea, mild anorexia, fatigue, weak spirit, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, headache, palpitation, conjunctivitis, mild sore limbs or lower back muscles etc.

1.5 The Difference between COVID-19 and Common Cold and Flu

All common cold, flu, and COVID-19 can cause fever, but the symptoms vary. For example, the common cold usually manifests as obvious upper respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, and throat discomfort, while the general symptoms are mild, with no fever or only transient fever. Flu is mostly of high fever, with severe systemic symptoms, accompanied by chills, headaches, general soreness, nasal congestion, runny nose, dry cough, chest pain, nausea, and loss of appetite. COVID-19 is characterized by fever, fatigue, and dry cough. A few patients of COVID-19 have symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and diarrhea.

If fever, cough and other symptoms occur, the following conditions are recommended for home observation: 1) Symptoms are mild, body temperature is below 38°C, and there is no obvious shortness of breath, chest tightness or dyspnea. Breathing, blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs are smooth. 2) There are no severe underlying diseases such as severe respiratory system, cardiovascular system and severe obesity.

1.6 Clinical Manifestations of COVID-19

Based on the current epidemiological investigation, the incubation period is 1-14 days, mostly 3-7 days.

The main manifestations are fever, dry cough, and fatigue. A few patients have symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, myalgia and diarrhea. Severe patients usually have dyspnea and/or hypoxemia one week after the onset of symptoms, and severe patients can quickly progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, difficult to correct metabolic acidosis, and coagulation dysfunction and multiple organ functional failure, etc. It is worth noting that in the course of severe and critically ill patients, there can be moderate to low fever, even without obvious fever.

Mild patients show only low fever, mild fatigue, and no pneumonia.

Judging from the current cases, most patients have a good prognosis, and a few patients are critically ill. The prognosis for the elderly and those with chronic underlying disease is poor. Symptoms in children are relatively mild.

1.7 Confirmation of COVID-19

Suspected cases are confirmed if with one of the following pathogenic evidence: 1) Real-time fluorescent RT-PCR of respiratory specimens or blood specimens for detection of novel coronavirus nucleic acid; 2) Sequencing of viral genes of respiratory specimens or blood specimens is highly homologous with the novel coronavirus.

1.8 Treatment of COVID-19

At present, some patients with pneumonitis infected by the novel coronavirus have been actively treated by doctors to overcome the disease and achieve the purpose of cure.

At present, there is no medicine specific for COVID-19, and only symptomatic supportive treatment is available. Medicines and vaccines are under development.

2. Measures Taken by the Governments

2.1 Adaption of Class A Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Measure for Class B Infectious Disease According to Law

On January 20, 2020, the National Health Commission, after being approved by the State Council, issued a public notice: 1) VOVID-19 is classified as Class B Infectious Disease under Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act, and prevention and control measures for Class A Infectious Disease should be adopted. 2) Inspection and quarantine measures of COVIDS-19 are subject to Frontier Health and Quarantine Act.

Certain provisions of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act:

Article 41 The local people's government at or above the county level in the place where a case of an infectious disease has occurred or in a specific area of the place may implement isolation measures and report to the people's government of the higher level; the people's government at the higher level should make immediately a decision on whether to approve it. If the people's government of the higher level makes a decision not to approve, the people's government implementing the isolation measures shall immediately lift the isolation measures.

During the period of quarantine, the people's government that implements the quarantine measures shall provide life security for the quarantined person; if the quarantined person has an employer, the employer shall not stop paying the work remuneration during the quarantine period.

The lifting of the quarantine measures shall be decided and announced by the original decision-making authority.

Article 42 When outbreaks and epidemics of infectious diseases occur, local people's governments at or above the county level shall immediately organize their efforts to prevent and control in accordance with preventive and control plans and cut off the transmission of infectious diseases. When necessary, they shall report to the people's government at the next higher level for decision. The following emergency measures can be taken and announced:

(1) Restricting or stopping market fairs, theater performances, or other crowd gathering activities;

(2) Suspending of work, business, and/or classes;

(3) Closing or sealing infectious agent contaminated public drinking water sources, foods and related material;

(4) Controlling or killing infected wild animals, livestock and poultry;

(5) Closing places that may cause the spread of infectious diseases.

When the people's government at a higher level receives a report from the people's government at a lower level on taking the emergency measures listed in the preceding paragraph, it shall make a decision immediately.

The lifting of emergency measures shall be decided and announced by the original decision-making authority.

Article 43 When an outbreak or epidemic of a Class A or B infectious disease occurs, the local people's government at or above the county level may, upon the decision of the people's government at the next higher level, declare part or all of the administrative area to be an epidemic area; The State Council may decide and declare epidemic areas across provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government. Local people's governments at or above the county level may take the emergency measures prescribed in Article 42 hereof in the epidemic area, and may carry out health quarantine on the personnel, materials and vehicles entering and leaving the epidemic area.

The people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may decide to blockade the epidemic areas of Class A infectious diseases within their administrative regions. However, the blockade of epidemic areas in large and medium-sized cities or the closure of epidemic areas across provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, as well as the closure of epidemic areas leading to the interruption of main line traffic or the closure of national borders, shall be decided by the State Council.

The lifting of the blockade of the epidemic area shall be decided and announced by the original decision-making authority.

Article 44 When a Class A infectious disease occurs, in order to prevent the infectious disease from spreading by means of transport and its personnel and materials, traffic health quarantine may be implemented. Specific measures shall be formulated by the State Council.

2.2 The Work Plan for COVID-19 Prevention and Control

The State Council Mechanism, on January 27, 2020, issued the Work Plan to Prevent and Control the Recent Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia, the main contents of which is as follows.

2.2.1 Implementation of Responsibility

Party committees and governments at all levels must unify their thinking and actions into the important speeches of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, strengthen the Four Consciousness, affirm the Four Self-confidence, and achieve Two Maintenances, deeply understand the severe situation of epidemic prevention and control, put people's life and health first, take epidemic prevention and control as the most important task at the moment, and unswervingly deploy all decisions of the Party Central Committee. Leading groups for epidemic response should be set up in all localities. The principals of the party and government should personally take responsibility, stick to their posts, and take the lead in order to control the epidemic situation in a timely manner, give timely guidance, and take timely actions. Party committees, governments and departments should give full play to joint prevention and control in strict accordance with the Class A infectious disease management and take measures to curb the spread of the disease.

All localities shall implement the important directive spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's adherence to bottom-line thinking, enhance the awareness of risk, use big data + gridding and other means to surveillance, detect, and investigate the epidemic situation. The health departments should take the lead in establishing a mechanism with other departments for regular research and judgment of the epidemic situation, early detection of changes in the epidemic situation, timely adjustment of epidemic prevention and control strategies, strengthen traceability and pathogenic detection and analysis, speed up research on treatment methods, formulate and improve emergency response plans, strengthen personnel