Over the past three years, China has always been putting people's lives and 
health first and adapting its COVID-19 response in light of the evolving 
situation, in efforts widely believed to have bought precious time for a smooth 
transition.

The country has achieved a major and decisive victory in its COVID-19 
prevention and control since November 2022, the Standing Committee of the 
Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee said 
at a meeting on Thursday.

It has been proved that the CPC's major judgment, policy decision and strategy 
adjustment on COVID-19 are completely correct, said the meeting, which was 
presided over by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

"The measures are effective. The people recognize them. And the achievement is 
huge," it said.

'A miracle'

China has kept optimizing and adjusting its COVID-19 prevention and control 
measures since November 2022, with the focus on protecting people's health and 
preventing severe cases.

In a major shift in its response policies, the country started to manage 
COVID-19 with measures designed for combating Class B infectious diseases, 
instead of Class A infectious diseases since January 8, 2023.

It was noted at Thursday's meeting that China has realized a stable transition 
in its epidemic prevention and control stages in a relatively short period of 
time.

With more than 200 million people having received medical treatment and nearly 
800,000 seriously ill patients effectively cured since November, China has kept 
its COVID-19 death rates among the lowest in the world.

"We have achieved a major and decisive victory in terms of epidemic prevention 
and control, creating a miracle in the history of human civilization in which a 
country with a huge population successfully emerges from a pandemic," said the 
meeting.

A new phase

As China's COVID-19 response enters a new phase, the country has been speeding 
up efforts to consolidate what has been achieved over the years in fighting the 
COVID-19 pandemic.

It is important to strengthen epidemic monitoring capacity and improve regular 
early warning systems by establishing a sound surveillance and reporting 
mechanism, the meeting of the CPC leadership pointed out.

It also called for efforts to make a scientific plan for next-stage 
vaccinations, in particular to increase the vaccination rates of the elderly.

In face of the evolving COVID-19 strains, China has also stepped up the 
nation-wide promotion of booster shots. According to an updated action plan 
released by the State Council joint COVID-19 prevention and control mechanism, 
nine combinations of booster vaccines developed in different technical routes, 
including vaccines providing good cross immunity against the Omicron strain, 
are now available.

Thursday's meeting also underscored efforts to guarantee the production and 
supply of medical supplies, and improve their coordinated deployment mechanism.

Efforts should also be made to advance scientific and technological 
breakthroughs in the health sector in a coordinated manner, and improve the 
level of life and health science and technology, the meeting concluded.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-02-16/Xi-chairs-CPC-leadership-meeting-on-latest-COVID-19-response-1htrVJOaUBW/index.html


SOURCE: CGTN