The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee met on Thursday to hear a report on COVID-19 response, discuss and arrange 20 measures to further optimize epidemic prevention and control work.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting and delivered an important speech.

The meeting noted that new variants continue to emerge, the coronavirus pandemic is ongoing, and new outbreaks continue in China.

China is a populous country with large vulnerable population groups, unbalanced regional development, and insufficient medical resources. The outbreaks in some parts of China are of a considerable scale, according to the meeting.

It was noted that, due to the mutation of the virus and the climate during the winter and spring, the scope and scale of outbreaks may expand further, and the COVID-19 prevention and control situation remains grave.

The meeting stressed the necessity of maintaining a firm strategic resolve, and carrying out COVID-19 control work in a science-based and targeted manner.

It was stressed at the meeting that the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee ought to be carried out in full, accurately and comprehensively.

The meeting underscored putting the people and their lives above all else, preventing both imported cases and domestic resurgences, and tenaciously pursuing the dynamic zero-COVID policy.

The meeting also stressed ensuring effective COVID-19 containment, economic stability and development security, and effectively coordinating epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development.

The health and safety of the people must be protected to the greatest extent possible, and the epidemic's impact on economic and social development ought to be minimized, the meeting underscored.

The meeting stressed efforts to effectively implement the principle of early detection, reporting, quarantine, and treatment of cases.

More resolute and decisive anti-epidemic measures should be taken to contain the spread of the virus and restore the normal order of work and life as soon as possible, the meeting underscored.

Efforts must be made to adhere to science-based and targeted epidemic response and boost the effectiveness of epidemic control work, according to the meeting.

The meeting demanded strengthened efforts in vaccine and drug R&D.

Stressing that necessary epidemic control measures must not be relaxed, the meeting called for actions to rectify superfluous policy steps and a one-size-fits-all approach.

It underscored all-out efforts to provide better services for people's life and work, maintain normal order in production and work, and promote vaccination among key groups.

Party committees and government departments at all levels were told to align their thinking and actions with the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and take concrete and meticulous measures so as to win the fight against COVID-19, according to the meeting.

Other matters were also discussed at the meeting.