The Straits Times: 

I have two questions. First, China emphasizes that the costs and benefits of the dynamic zero-COVID approach should be calculated at the macro level. What is the tipping point where the costs exceed the benefits? What exactly are the costs? Second, China has taken the lead in recovering from the pandemic and has been looking for new ways to cope with the constantly mutating novel coronavirus. What has China done in recent years to intensify the capacity building of its medical system? Thank you. 

Liang Wannian:  

Thank you for your question. When calculating the costs and benefits of fighting against COVID-19, we should first make clear the local-overall relationship and short-term and long-term relationship and take a long, comprehensive, holistic and systematic perspective. Second, evaluating the costs and benefits of COVID-19 response involves more than economic or monetary factors. Life is priceless and cannot be measured with money. Therefore, to analyze the costs and benefits, we need to take a systematic, big-picture, holistic, and dynamic view to consider both the economy and people's livelihoods.

Theoretically, the strategies and measures adopted to fight the epidemic will definitely generate direct costs — such as significant labor, material and financial resources invested in vaccination, temporary treatment centers construction, and nucleic acid testing. At the same time, there will also be some indirect costs. For example, the pandemic response will restrict the mobility of some people in some local areas, which may impact the economy. In addition, there will be intangible costs, such as anxiety and other psychological problems incurred in people quarantined at home in the closed-off management areas and restrictive control areas.

In terms of benefits, we should also follow a dynamic and multi-layered approach and consider both direct and indirect benefits and even invisible benefits. China's policy of preventing imported cases and domestic resurgences and the dynamic zero-COVID approach have effectively prevented the pandemic's large-scale spread and outbreaks, thus protecting the health and safety of the people to the maximum. China has effectively avoided a loss in the per capita life expectancy and managed to ensure order in the life and work of the people and the economy of as many regions as possible. These are all direct benefits. Just as Mr. Li mentioned a moment ago, in 2020, China was the world's only major economy to achieve growth. In 2021, China's GDP grew 8.1% year-on-year, with a two-year average of 5.1%, ranking among the highest compared with the world's other major economies. In the first quarter of this year, our GDP expanded by 4.8% year-on-year. These statistics show that the dynamic zero-COVID approach suits China's conditions and effectively coordinates pandemic control with social and economic development.

Given the uncertainties brought about by the pandemic, the dynamic zero-COVID approach and the concrete anti-pandemic measures served as insurance for the 1.4 billion Chinese people against pandemic fluctuations and virus variants. The cost of the insurance is to sacrifice economic gains of a small number of people to ensure the welfare of the whole society at its most. The dynamic zero-COVID approach has also promoted the development of China's digital economy. For example, the telemedicine and big data technologies used in pandemic control have boosted the digital economy, firmly ensured the people's wellbeing, and protected the vulnerable. Meanwhile, through carrying out joint prevention and control and improving the governance capacities of communities, we have promoted the effective connection and coordination among departments of public services, between government and non-government entities, and between government administrations and the community governance services in their direct charge. I think these are all indirect or invisible benefits of the dynamic zero-COVID approach.

Medical treatment has always been a priority in China's pandemic control efforts. Attaching great importance to the work, the Chinese government has adopted a series of measures to ensure that all suspected and confirmed cases could be hospitalized and treated. Efforts mainly focused on the following aspects, especially after the appearance of Omicron.

First, we have improved the establishment and management of designated hospitals. We guided local authorities to set hospitals with strongly integrated capacities, high-quality medical treatment, and outstanding epidemic prevention and control techniques as designated hospitals to hospitalize patients. At the same time, clear requirements have been put forward for the number of beds in designated hospitals in cities with different populations. For example, in principle, in each of the cities above the prefectural level with 1 to 5 million permanent urban residents, the total number of beds in designated hospitals should not be less than 500. In megacities with 5 to 10 million permanent urban residents, the total number should not be less than 1,000. And in megacities with more than 10 million permanent urban residents, the total number should not be less than 1,500. Among them, the number of beds for severe cases shall not be less than 10% of the total number of designated beds. Besides, local authorities must set up a certain number of back-up designated hospitals to ensure that they can be vacated and put into use within 24 hours when needed.

Second, we have improved the establishment and management of makeshift hospitals. A hierarchical approach to diagnosis and treatment has been adopted. And a number of makeshift hospitals have been built and remodeled to ensure that they can be put into use within two days when necessary so that all those in need are hospitalized or treated. As of April 25, nearly 400 makeshift hospitals have been built or are under construction in China, with a total of more than 560,000 beds. In addition, there are clear requirements for the ratio of doctors to nurses and doctors to beds in makeshift hospitals.

Third, we have taken practical measures to promote the utilization of medical resources. We have guided local authorities to transfer COVID-19 patients whose symptoms meet specific conditions to makeshift and designated hospitals, maximizing the use of hospital beds. At the same time, local authorities are also required to strengthen epidemic prevention and control while ensuring daily medical service.

In addition, during this period of time, we have been raising the capacity for ICU treatment by providing necessary treatment facilities and equipment, strengthening the training of medical staff, revising and improving diagnosis and treatment standards in a timely manner, widely adopting traditional Chinese medicine, strengthening emergency treatment plans, training and exercise, and strengthening the reserve of emergency medical treatment supplies.

Thank you.