Rapid response ready for any fresh COVID cases
Customers shop at a convenience store in Xuhui District.
Shanghai's rapid response to any new COVID cases is critical to contain the pandemic.
Epidemiological investigators will arrive within two hours of any positive COVID-19 cases being detected at a community level, the city's health commission said.
The investigators will finish collecting core epidemiological information within four hours and figure out the basic transmission situation within a day.
Such fast response is key to further reduce daily infections and prevent any resurgence since all districts in Shanghai have now achieved zero community transmission, said commission deputy director Zhao Dandan.
"The city is under great pressure because there still might be infections at the community level," Zhao told the city's daily COVID-19 press briefing on Wednesday.
Fast and accurate epidemiological investigation and strict management are critical to curb the spread of the virus and bring the city back on track sooner, he said.
At signs of a resurgence, city, district and community-level epidemiological investigators will conduct on-site investigations and define all the close and secondary contacts with the help of big data analysis.
Customers outside a reopened convenience store wait for temperature checks.
The new positive cases will be transferred immediately, along with close contacts, to prevent transmission, followed by screening and control measures in the related areas.
Environmental testing and gene sequencing will also be conducted to trace the origin of the infection, Zhao said.
The number of local infections rebounded slightly to 855 on Tuesday, with zero community infections for the fourth consecutive day.
Over 19.8 million residents, about 80 percent of the city's population, are in precautionary areas – communities, villages, companies and sites without a positive case in the past two weeks.
PCR tests continue in Yangpu District.
The number of residents in locked-down areas is 790,000, while less than 3 million are in controlled areas.
The city government has announced precautionary areas will open with limited movement and effective control.
Supermarkets, restaurants and hair salons in some districts have reopened since Monday. Public transport and some parks in outlying districts have also been receiving visitors.
Shanghai Customs has adjusted the frequency of random checks on qualified imports to help guarantee daily supplies for citizens and the resumption of work, said deputy customs director Liu Bo.
They include daily necessities, such as seafood, fruits, meats, dairy products and baby formulas, as well as materials for key industries such as imported photoresist for local integrated circuit companies, Liu said.
A reopened wet market on Chongming Island.
