Watchdog, companies draft standards for protective gear

Shanghai's market watchdog has guided 106 companies in the city to draft 180 enterprise-level standards regarding protective items against the novel coronavirus, providing technical support on the resumption of work and epidemic prevention, authorities said on Wednesday. 

"The move specifies technical requirements and quality standards on items like facial masks, disinfectants and disinfectors, and standards for enterprises to change their manufacturing scope to include prevention items like masks and protective clothing," Peng Wenhao, deputy director of the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation, told a press conference. 

Five group standards related to quality management under public health emergencies have also been worked out, providing guidance for enterprises, she said. 

The administration is investigating or has investigated 375 cases of irregularities related to coronavirus prevention as of Wednesday morning. 

Among them, 171 involved violations of price regulations such as price gouging, and another 147 cases related to fake and substandard face masks, the administration said. 

Forty cases have been handed to police, according to the administration. 

Sixteen food manufacturing and operation businesses were investigated for irregularities, and food businesses implicated in 1,832 cases have been ordered to rectify so far. 

A total of 3,921 elevators, particularly in railway stations and airports, have been checked since the epidemic with 797 safety hazards eliminated, the administration said.

A total of 44 cases related to preventative items were busted and five have been handed to police, according to the administration. 

It has conducted free testing on more than 20,000 items of coronavirus testing equipment and infrared thermometers.