In response to widespread rumors circulating in the community about confirmed cases from Shulan, Jilin Province having been active within our city, many residents have been abuzz with discussion. So what is the actual situation? To find out, we interviewed Sun Qun, spokesperson for the Chaoyang Municipal Health Commission and deputy director of the Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Reporter: Have any confirmed or suspected cases been identified at the major hospitals in our city?

Sun Qun: At present, no confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 have been reported in our city. On May 10, the Second Municipal Hospital admitted a married couple who had returned from Huinan County, Tonghua City, Jilin Province, and were seeking treatment for “atrial premature beats” and “hypertension.” In accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Epidemic Prevention and Control Command, serological antibody tests and nucleic acid tests were conducted on both patients. Following two negative test results from the Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Based on normal chest CT scans and routine blood tests in both patients, COVID-19 has been ruled out. They are currently hospitalized for treatment of their cardiovascular conditions.

Recently, following the emergence of a cluster outbreak in Shulan City, Jilin Province, Shenyang City in our province has also reported imported confirmed cases. The Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention has successively received letters of cooperation from the disease control centers of Liaoning Province, Shenyang City, and Chifeng City in Inner Mongolia, requesting our city’s assistance in tracing and investigating close contacts, including one close contact in Shuangta District. Two general contacts (contacts of close contacts) in Kazuo County, The activity trajectories of two close contacts from Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia, within our city. The municipal and county-level epidemic prevention and control headquarters have attached great importance to this matter and, in accordance with the requirements of Provincial Epidemic Prevention and Control Command Order No. 13, are handling one close contact in Shuangta District, Two close contacts in Kazuo County have been placed under centralized quarantine and have so far undergone one round of serum antibody testing and nucleic acid testing, both of which were negative. A contact-tracing investigation has been conducted on individuals who had contact with the two close contacts from Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia, while they were in our city, and health-risk advisories have been issued to the relevant personnel. At present, the two close contacts are undergoing centralized quarantine in Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia, and have completed two rounds of nucleic acid testing, both of which returned negative results.

Reporter: Under the current circumstances, how can we effectively carry out routine COVID-19 prevention and control?

Sun Qun: We must maintain unwavering vigilance in routine COVID-19 prevention and control, keep the string of epidemic prevention taut, and overcome complacency, war-weariness, lucky thinking, and a lax attitude. We must continue to focus on preventing imported cases and guarding against domestic resurgence, promptly implement more precise and effective prevention and control measures, and consolidate the achievements our city has made in COVID-19 prevention and control.

In terms of routine COVID-19 prevention and control, we must “safeguard three lines of defense and implement three measures.”

The first line of defense is the “entry” checkpoint. At airports, high-speed rail stations, and conventional railway stations—where travelers returning to or entering the country pass through—we rigorously implement temperature screening and full coverage of health-code verification for all departing passengers. We also ensure thorough registration of travelers arriving from key regions and coordinate seamless handoffs to maintain closed-loop management.

The second line of defense is the “gateway” defense, which focuses on management at the smallest administrative unit. Key areas include rural regions, residential communities, hotels and inns, and rented housing. By leveraging information technology and big data, this approach aims to strengthen collaborative prevention and control mechanisms, promote community-based prevention and governance, and enhance self-prevention and self-control. It also seeks to harness the role of grassroots networked management and residents’ proactive monitoring and reporting, ensuring rigorous screening and registration of individuals arriving from or returning to key regions to leave no one unchecked.

The third line of defense is the hospital-based defense. It is essential to standardize the construction and management of fever clinics and, in accordance with the principle of testing all who should be tested, conduct a single nucleic acid test for all patients presenting with fever, hospitalized patients, accompanying persons, and patients with a travel or residency history in key regions. Outpatient medical staff must adhere to standard precautions, all individuals entering the hospital must undergo temperature screening and wear masks, and the “one patient per examination room” and “one patient, one caregiver” policies must be strictly implemented. Clinics and outpatient departments are prohibited from diagnosing or treating patients with respiratory symptoms such as fever or cough. All retail pharmacies must verify the identification of individuals purchasing medications for fever or cough, record their personal information, and proactively guide such patients to seek care at fever clinics.

“Three Measures”

First, we must implement the principle of “testing all who should be tested, and testing early and promptly.” Effective immediately, all individuals traveling to or returning to Chaoyang from key regions are required to undergo 14 days of centralized quarantine for medical observation and two nucleic acid tests, arranged by the local authorities. Those whose quarantine period is less than 14 days and who do not possess a negative nucleic acid test certificate issued within the past seven days must complete the full 14-day quarantine and undergo one additional nucleic acid test as soon as possible. All close contacts and general contacts are to be placed under centralized quarantine and subjected to routine nucleic acid monitoring. This includes all individuals traveling to or returning to Chaoyang from Shulan City in Jilin Province, who must undergo 14 days of centralized quarantine and observation, with two nucleic acid tests conducted during this period. For individuals traveling to or returning to Chaoyang from Jilin City (excluding Shulan City), mandatory centralized quarantine or separate home isolation for 14 days is required, with two nucleic acid tests conducted during this period. As for individuals traveling to or returning to Chaoyang from other parts of Jilin Province (excluding Jilin City), they are to be uniformly directed to designated centralized medical isolation and observation sites for one nucleic acid test; those with negative results and holding a green “health code” may move about safely and in an orderly manner.

Second, we must implement the routine epidemic prevention and control requirements of “timely detection and rapid response.” First, case diagnosis must be conducted strictly in accordance with national diagnostic criteria and time-limit requirements. Confirmed cases and asymptomatic infections must all be reported in a standardized manner, promptly transferred in accordance with established protocols to provincial centralized treatment centers for inpatient isolation and treatment, and subjected to comprehensive post-discharge health management. Second, we must strengthen epidemiological investigation and information sharing. The system of direct online reporting of suspected cases within two hours must be fully implemented; epidemiological investigations and contact tracing must be launched immediately, and preventive and control measures must be applied to both close contacts and general contacts. Once a case is confirmed as a confirmed case or an asymptomatic infection, the epidemiological investigation report must be submitted within 24 hours in accordance with national regulations, and information must be reported, transmitted, and released according to prescribed procedures, ensuring that information is conveyed promptly, smoothly, and accurately.

Third, we will strengthen the accountability for routine epidemic prevention and control. The Municipal Epidemic Prevention and Control Command has established seven supervisory teams to provide guidance and oversight in seven counties (county-level cities) and districts, ensuring that all localities truly assume responsibility for safeguarding their jurisdictions, shoulder that responsibility, and fulfill it to the fullest extent, thereby effectively implementing all aspects of routine epidemic prevention and control with rigor, precision, and attention to detail.

The general public is reminded to adhere to the guidelines of “avoiding large gatherings and unnecessary travel, wearing masks, and washing hands frequently.” The Municipal Epidemic Prevention and Control Command will promptly issue announcements on the COVID-19 situation to remind citizens to refrain from spreading, believing, or perpetuating rumors.