Relevant authorities in China are making targeted efforts to improve the COVID-19 response in rural areas, ensure adequate medical supplies, and develop a high-caliber emergency medical aid system, according to a press conference held by the State Council joint COVID-19 prevention and control mechanism on Monday.

Mi Feng, spokesperson for the National Health Commission (NHC), urged efforts to implement thoroughly the measures that were optimized after China downgraded its COVID-19 management level from Class A to Class B, and to consolidate the hard-won results of the country's COVID response.

To raise rural COVID response capabilities, the accountability mechanism for COVID prevention and control will be improved, key rural demographic groups and areas will see heightened focus, and rural medical treatment systems will be improved, said Mao Dezhi, an official of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology official Zhou Jian pledged efforts to ensure the adequate production and routine provision of key medical supplies, and efforts to boost the flexibility and safety standards of the industrial chain for key medical supplies.

Efforts will be made to keep abreast of the market-launch schedule for new vaccines and medicines, and to make sound preparations for their production and delivery, Zhou said.

NHC official Guo Yanhong said that approximately 20 new national medical emergency response teams will be added to the country's 40 existing teams. She noted that the related steering system will be improved, and the construction of emergency medical treatment bases will be advanced.