Notice on Further Efforts to do a Good Job of Epidemic Prevention and Control Work in Rural Areas

[Source]http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2020-02/27/content_5483966.htm

Pneumonia Mechanism (2020) No. 14

To the joint prevention and control mechanism (leading group, command department) for response to the novel coronavirus pneumonia for each province, autonomous region, directly-governed municipality, and for the Xinjiang production and construction corps.

Since the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic first began, the Party Centre and the State Council have regarded it as a high priority, and General Secretary Xi Jinping has issued a series of important instructions and comments. At present, epidemic prevention and control is at a critical stage, and rural prevention and control is one of our current priorities, with an urgent need to adopt stronger, more orderly, more scientific and well-conceived measures, to guard against the spread of the epidemic in rural areas. In order to implement the deployments and arrangements made by the Central Committee Politburo Standing Committee meeting, the meetings of the Central Leading Group for Work on the Response to the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Epidemic, and the relevant meetings of the State Council and thereby further make a good job of prevention and control work in rural areas, we hereby notify you of the following items:

I. Fully recognize the importance and urgency of doing a good job of epidemic prevention and control work in rural areas.General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the epidemic prevention and control work, and stresses that the lives, safety and physical health of the people must be made the number one priority and that epidemic prevention and control work must be treated as the most important priority at present. Premier Li Keqiang has pointed out that great importance must be placed on rural epidemic prevention and control work. The medical and health care conditions in our country's rural areas are weak; the large numbers of rural migrant workers who have returned to their homes has possibly increased the risk of the epidemic breaking out. Party committees and government at each level, particularly county and township Party committees and government, must diligently grasp the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions; implement central policies and arrangements; strengthen their consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the Centre, firm up their confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and ensure they resolutely uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and resolutely uphold the Party Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership; fully recognize the importance, complexity, and gravity of prevention and control work in rural areas; raise the sense of where to stand politically, strengthen responsibility and willingness to shoulder it, and actively fulfil duties, doing their utmost to press for the solid implementation of every element of prevention and control work in rural areas and win the battle of rural epidemic prevention and control.

II. Ensure county and township Party committees and governments and the “two committees” of villages come good on all responsibilities. In all regions Party committees and government must, under the epidemic response leading small groups and joint prevention and control work mechanisms, establish rural epidemic prevention and control special teams, strengthen unified commands and management, uphold integrated arrangements and integrated steps forward across rural and urban prevention and control work, and ensure effective assurances for the resources, funds and personnel needed in rural epidemic prevention and control work. County and township Party committees and government must spend most of their energy on grappling with rural epidemic prevention and control, fully make use of the role of primary-level Party organisations, rural self-governing organisations, guide and mobilise the rural masses to actively participate in mass prevention and control, and give rise to the pooling of energies.

III. Fully make use of the role of rural primary-level medical and health-care organisations and rural doctors.Under the leadership of county-level health departments and the guidance of disease control and other specialist organisations, personnel from township health institutions and village health agencies must make a good job of screening, medical tracking, pre-examination triage, and referrals in rural areas, and implement a system of daily reporting. On discovering patients suffering fever and suspected infected patients who have come from epidemic outbreak areas, promptly refer them to higher-level hospital fever clinics, ensure protection and information registration work are carried out correctly by level and type, and observe deadlines in reporting upwards. Assist in tracking and urging those in close contact with persons from epidemic outbreak areas and confirmed and suspected cases, and implement at-home medical observation measures. Primary-level Party committees and government must grapple effectively with the transfer, allocation and stockpiling of rural disinfectant products, masks and protective gowns and other protective items and thermometers etc., ensuring the supply of resources for primary-level medical and health-care organizations. Step up training for county and township medical and health-care personnel through methods such as video-call training and the distribution of technical guides, etc., raise capacity in distinguishing when infection is present, initial handling, prevention of infection, and protection. For those health institutions and agencies with personnel shortages, promptly arrange support, and support staff to ensure that all tasks are implemented to full effect.

IV. Strengthen health management of those returning home and migrant populations. County and township health organisations and rural doctors should assist in the tracking and screening of people returning home and migrant populations, strengthening health management. Strengthen efforts to pinpoint, register, and pay follow-up visits to persons who have returned from Wuhan or other key areas with epidemic outbreaks, ensure health monitoring is done properly and establish whether or not they have fever, coughing and other symptoms, ensure registration is done correctly, implement measures such as at-home observation, and on discovering anything abnormal promptly report and begin handling. Urge that entities engaged in agri-leisure and agri-tourism to act on their responsibilities regarding prevention and control measures to ensure the health and safety of tourists and staff.

V. Strengthen publicity and guidance on prevention and control efforts. Use multiple means such as broadcasting on a loop, producing publicity materials, issuing advocacy materials and public letters, and sending notices via phone and WeChat to strengthen communication of information on prevention and control and publicity on epidemic prevention know-how in rural areas, to increase health awareness and awareness of the need to protect against the virus among the rural masses, and to raise capacity to protect against the virus. Combined with the clean village campaign, educate and guide the rural masses to cultivate healthy lifestyles including mask-wearing, hand-washing and so on. Actively champion new civilized behaviour in the celebration of festivals, stop public activities such as temple markets and celebrations in parks, and persuade the rural masses against holding weddings and funerals, to reduce as much as possible the hosting of meals, visiting people’s homes, and moving around to avoid gatherings of people, and thereby reduce the risk of transmission.

State Council Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Epidemic Joint Prevention and Control Response Mechanism

January 30, 2020