Flexible mechanisms make it easier for businesses to resume work

Shanghai's market watchdogs have introduced a number of flexible measures to help enterprises resume production amid the coronavirus outbreak, authorities said on Wednesday.

The new measures include allowing non-medical apparatus and instruments companies to purchase personal protective items such as masks directly from wholesalers. Such purchases were not allowed under previous guidelines.

"We found that some enterprises, particularly manufacturing companies, have large numbers of employees, and retail channels such as pharmacies could not satisfy their demand for protective items like masks and thermodetectors needed to resume production," Peng Wenhao, deputy director of the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation, told a press conference on Wednesday.

As a temporary measure, companies may purchase such items from wholesalers if they pledge not to resell them, said Peng.

Meanwhile, wholesalers are required to report such sales to market watchdogs, Peng added.

Online review and approval of food production licenses and advertisement applications is also being conducted amid the epidemic and about 200 advertising applications have been handled so far under the mechanism, the administration said. 

Specifically, market watchdogs in Xuhui and Hongkou districts have introduced video reviews to replace onsite checks when new food, medicine and medical apparatus and instruments businesses apply for licenses.

"A review will be completed on the same day of video submissions, making it convenient for enterprises and helping them make up time lost to the coronavirus disease outbreak," said Peng. 

The administration has also conducted "cloud" training sessions to inform enterprises of information regarding resumption of work.