Chinese Authorities Recommend Stockpiling Emergency Supplies Such as Masks

Concerns Over COVID Resurgence in Beijing and Others Prompt Wuhan to Prepare for Emergency
China to Complete Vaccination of 1 Billion People, 70% of Population, by Year-End

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Chinese health authorities have advised citizens to stockpile emergency supplies such as masks in preparation for a resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). This is a public directive from the authorities to 'prepare for an emergency,' which is interpreted as a measure equivalent to a wartime situation.

According to China's state-run Global Times and Xinhua News Agency on the 4th, the Wuhan Emergency Management Bureau urged citizens to stockpile daily necessities, antibiotics (emergency medicines), and masks (medical supplies).

Wuhan, known as the origin of COVID-19, was locked down from January 23 to April 7 last year. A population of 11 million was confined for 76 days. As Wuhan suffers from the stigma of being the world's first cluster outbreak site of COVID-19, and with confirmed cases surging in Beijing and Liaoning Province, it appears the city has urged citizens to stockpile emergency supplies.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Professor Wang Hongwei of the Graduate School of Public Administration and Policy at Renmin University said, "Last year, the entire country experienced chaos due to a shortage of epidemic prevention supplies at the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak," adding, "Stockpiling basic daily necessities in ordinary households is a necessary measure not only against COVID-19 but also in preparation for natural disasters and major accidents."

Following Chinese President Xi Jinping's 'declaration of victory in the war against COVID-19,' signs of virus resurgence have caused the Chinese government to become tense. Moreover, the confirmation of variant virus infections identified in the UK, officially confirmed in Shanghai and Guangdong Province, has further heightened the vigilance of Chinese health authorities.

As the situation escalates rapidly, Beijing began administering domestically produced vaccines from the beginning of the new year. The plan is to start with high-risk groups such as frozen food quarantine workers, cargo handlers, transportation workers, and medical staff, then expand vaccination to high-risk groups including the elderly. Beijing health authorities have set a plan to complete vaccination of high-risk groups before the Lunar New Year holiday next month.

Beijing has also ordered schools in Shunyi District, where confirmed cases continue to emerge, to switch to online classes temporarily.

Along with this, taxi and Didi Chuxing (China's version of Uber) operations have been banned in some areas where the epidemic prevention level has been raised to medium and high risk. Drivers must carry a negative nucleic acid test certificate obtained within the last 7 days to operate. Additionally, taxis and Didi Chuxing vehicles must be disinfected every 4 hours.

Tao Lina, a Chinese vaccine expert, commented on the Chinese government's vaccination plan, saying, "The government has started vaccinating high-risk groups," and predicted, "By the end of this year, 1 billion people, or 70% of China's population, will have completed vaccination."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.