City steps up control measures at markets

Shanghai released its latest COVID-19 prevention and control plans in wholesale and vegetable markets, and supermarkets, as well as places where people gather at night such as night markets.

The Shanghai Commission of Commerce on Wednesday clarified the responsible parties, the management of venues and personnel, food safety and emergencies in a bid to better implement the control plans.

The city’s farmers' markets, wholesale markets, wet markets and supermarkets should strengthen their investigation or risks, promote environmental hygiene control, and set up a regular disinfection and cleaning system in accordance with relevant regulations.

Markets should carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection of commercial premises as well as related facilities and equipment at least once a week, with particular attention paid to worktops, trash cans, sewers, toilets, passageways, passenger and freight elevators, transport vehicles, meat and aquatic products.

Ventilation of the office and trading areas of markets should be well maintained and equipment, such as exhaust fans, be turned on to enhance air circulation where possible.

All staff from or passing through domestic areas with medium or high risk of coronavirus exposure since May 30 should immediately report to the local health department in their neighborhood or the Centers for Disease Control, and implement measures such as centralized quarantine for observation.

For those coming from or passing through high-risk areas, a 14-day concentrated isolation will be taken with nucleic acid tests. Those from medium-risk locations will spend 14 days in isolation in their communities along with nucleic acid tests.

Customs and other authorities have stepped up the sampling inspection and quarantine of imported foods, especially meat, aquatic products, fruit and vegetables, and checked relevant import certificates.

The market supervision department will urge food business operators to strictly check certificates of raw food, and take the responsibility to trace food safety information.

It is forbidden to purchase and sell livestock and poultry meat and their products that have not been subject to inspection and quarantine as required or that are not up to standard or of unknown origin. 

Keeping and slaughtering animals, including live livestock and poultry, in food business premises is also forbidden.