Chinese authorities stressed further measures in epidemic prevention and control and production resumption at a meeting on Feb 6.

Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the leading group of the CPC Central Committee on the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak, presided over the group meeting.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, also attended the meeting as deputy head of the group.

According to an official statement issued after the meeting, current epidemic prevention and control work should progress in a scientific, orderly, and targeted manner nationwide. Hubei province, with Wuhan in particular, is still the top priority in the anti-epidemic campaign.

In the following phase, hospitals should strive to receive and cure more infected patients. Multipronged measures will be taken to increase berths, medical staff members and other healthcare forces in Wuhan.

As for other regions in Hubei, local governments should tap the potential of existing designated hospitals, establish specialized hospitals, set up quarantine points, and engage other work to reinforce medical forces. Key epidemic prevention supplies should be guaranteed as well.

According to those at the meeting, the increase of confirmed cases remains stable in regions nationwide, apart from Hubei, with a low fatality rate. Hence the government should engage orderly arrangements of resuming social production along with ongoing scientific anti-epidemic work, with resources reasonably distributed and gratuitous social panic avoided. That will support the epidemic prevention work and ensure normal running of society and the economy.

Enterprises are encouraged to innovate the way they operate, reduce staff flows in workplaces, and let staff work in shifts to ensure full-load production.

A liaison system should be introduced in key enterprises to supervise full-sail production, and to address problems featuring lack of machines, workers and funds.

A security plan for coal, electricity, petrol, and gas should be made, lest that centralized production resumption will bring in regional and periodic shortages and soaring prices.

In addition, schools of all kinds are allowed to postpone the spring semester or stagger dates to start school.

Those at the meeting urged strengthening the responsibilities of local governments and enterprises, and continuing epidemic prevention and control work after resuming production.

Targeted prevention and control measures should be taken and a protective system for staff in workplaces should be improved and implemented.

Information on population flow should be identified, and seriously affected regions should clarify the conditions for returning to posts.

The meeting also stressed underlining the connection between regions with population flow, calling for railway and civil aviation departments to coordinate their carrying capacity and try their best to arrange passengers sitting with at least one seat apart. Workers are encouraged to return to work at different times.

Traffic restrictions for private vehicles in regions involved can be suspended or changed according to local situations.

According to the statement, the State Council joint prevention and control mechanism should coordinate related departments, address prominent problems in a timely manner, and strengthen analysis on the epidemic situation and follow-up work.

Ding Xuexiang, Huang Kunming, Cai Qi, Wang Yi, Xiao Jie and Zhao Kezhi, all members of the leading group, also attended the meeting.