As China shifts its focus of COVID-19 management to vulnerable groups and severe cases, Chinese health authorities have held successive press conferences in recent days with guidelines in order to ensure the COVID prevention and protection of high-risk groups, especially in rural areas amid a possible infection surge. Medical staff and experts reached by the Global Times have expressed confidence in a smooth transition in different areas, as governments and medical institutes at all levels have made full preparations for a possible infection surge resulting from the population flow during the upcoming Spring Festival holidays.
Shanghai has unveiled a new edition of tiered diagnosis and treatment for COVID-19 to guide medical institutions in classifying treatment of specific cases, listing basic clinical treatment including the use of small-molecule oral antiviral drugs.