China enters new phase of COVID response
China DailyBEIJING -- From Jan 8, China starts managing COVID-19 with measures designed for combating Class B infectious diseases, instead of Class A infectious diseases. Confronted with epidemic uncertainties, China has always been putting people's lives and health first, adapting its COVID response in light of the evolving situation. The fast-changing features of the virus and the complicated evolution of epidemic response posed serious challenges for China's decision-makers, who have been closely following the epidemic situation and putting the people's lives and health first. "When an infectious disease poses less harm to people's health and leaves a lighter impact on the economy and the society, it is a science-based decision to adjust the intensity of prevention and control measures," said Liang Wannian, head of the COVID-19 response expert panel under the NHC. Focus of COVID -19 response The focus of China's new phase of COVID-19 response is on protecting people's health and preventing severe cases.