City updates 'zero community transmission' standard
A local resident takes a PCR test.
The principle of "dynamic zero-COVID-19" doesn't mean there will be zero infections. Rather, it means clearing infections at the community level in a dynamic and timely manner, Shanghai executive Vice Mayor Wu Qing said on Friday.
The primary pillar of China's COVID-19 strategy is to ensure another surge doesn't take place, Wu said at the city's daily COVID-19 press briefing.
The Shanghai government has updated the "zero community transmission" standard, the primary target of the city's battle against COVID-19, after assessing the local campaign during the surge and factoring in experts' opinions, Wu said.
The "basic zero community transmission" standard means within controlled and precautionary districts, less than one positive case is found in every 100,000 residents, as well as locations under closed-loop management that have gone three consecutive days without a positive case.
"It means the number of infections on the community level is falling every day with controllable risks, even if there is a small number of cases," Wu said.
If there are no positive cases in a district for three consecutive days, it will be given a "zero community transmission" designation.
"Dynamic zero community transmission" means every new case can be promptly dealt with by quickly cutting off the transmission chain on the community level and reducing the number of community infections to zero.
The zero community transmission designation is a precondition for the lockdown to gradually end and a return to normal virus prevention and control. After all districts receive the designation, a return to normal life will be managed with site codes, temperature checks and code-scanning machines deployed across the city.
Yangpu District residents line up for PCR tests.
