On February 2nd, Li Keqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, premier of the State Council and head of the central leading group of the CPC Central Committee for the prevention and control of the outbreak of pneumonia, chaired a meeting of the leading group. The meeting made plans for flexible working hours in some affected provinces to further enhance epidemic control and called for ensuring market supply and intensifying support in medical supplies for Hubei provinces, especially Wuhan and key surrounding areas.
Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy-head of the leading group of the CPC Central Committee for the prevention and control of the outbreak of pneumonia, was in attendance.
It was pointed out at the meeting that in keeping with the leading group’s instructions, the State Council has approved the plan of certain provinces to implement flexible work arrangements in light of local epidemic control needs while ensuring the timely return of employees in the companies and projects involved in epidemic control, public utilities, people’s essential needs and other areas that are vital for economic development and people’s livelihood. The move will prevent large population flows as the holiday ends and thus lower the risk of the virus spreading. Some eligible enterprises and public institutions are encouraged to avoid the peak traveling or to work at home through the internet. Meanwhile, migrant workers are guided to avoid the current travel rush and restore their posts in batches.
The meeting urged steady supply of goods for epidemic control and daily necessities across the country. Local authorities are required to keep timely and accurate track of epidemic control supplies, including medicines, proactive items and disinfectant products. Robust measures must be taken to support companies in resuming early production, opening in full gear, and expand manufacturing capacity. The people’s needs for daily necessities must be adequately met and prompt efforts must be made for the early resumption of activity at key enterprises in grain and edible oil production, food processing and energy supply. Green channels will be opened for the supply of key goods, and coal, grains and vegetables will be shipped on a priority basis.
The meeting noted that it is the top priority to ensure the supply of medical protective materials in Hubei province, especially its capital city Wuhan. Currently, Hubei is still scarce in medical resources though the country has drawn up all-out efforts to support it after the contagion. It is crucial to speed up the construction of the hospitals and beds, as well as reinforce the protection for medical workers. More high-level medical staff in respiratory, intensive diseases and health care will be sent across the country to assist Wuhan. The enterprises of medical proactive materials are urged to restore production in full gear so as to meet the needs of Wuhan and other plagued regions and ease the shortages of key medical items including masks and protective suits. Moreover, members of the State Council’s mechanism for coordinated control and prevention are asked to proactively shoulder the responsibilities and strengthen coordination to remove obstacles in producing and transporting key medical protective goods. The National Health Commission should accelerate its draft on the standards for the classification of key medical protective supplies to make full use of limited resources. All badly needed goods will exercise overall allocation by the country. Hubei province should do a better job in the management of medical protective items, and optimize their distribution.
The departments at various regions are required to implement the important instructions made by President Xi Jinping intently. It is urged to further see that each and every level of administration perform their duties effectively and delegate the strength of prevention and control to the lower tier. It is asked to take effective measures of early detection, early reporting, early diagnosis, early isolation, and early treatment in an open and transparent manner so as to win the battle of the prevention and control of the contagion.
Members of the leading group including Ding Xuexiang, Huang Kunming, Cai Qi, Wang Yi, Xiao Jie and Zhao Kezhi were present.