Vaccines Expected to Enter Clinical Trials by April or Earlier

Source: HangzhouTube, Xinhua News, China Daily, Ecns, WHO

Good afternoon

Some vaccines against the COVID-19 are expected to enter clinical trials by mid-April or even earlier, an official in Wuhan said on March 6.

Chinese scientists are racing to carry out breakthroughs in epidemic prevention and control by adopting five technological approaches, Ding Xiangyang, deputy secretary-general of the State Council, said at a press briefing on March 6 in Wuhan.

The country has adopted treatment methods that combine traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine to cure the COVID-19 and carried out clinical trials and studies on different types of patients including those with mild symptoms after screening more than 5,000 kinds of drugs. TCM treatment has yielded good outcomes, preventing patients with mild symptoms from becoming severely ill, said Ding.

He added that, as of March 3, a total of 14 types of nucleic acid test reagents had been made available through emergency approval.

Public input on foreigners' permanent residence will be fully considered

The Ministry of Justice said on Saturday that public opinions and suggestions on a draft regulation on foreigners' permanent residence in China will be fully considered and absorbed before the regulation is officially issued.

The draft regulation published online on Feb 27 for public feedbacks has triggered heated discussions. While many people believe the rules are necessary and timely, some also worry that foreigners may flood into China and take employment opportunities.

Participants to the seminar, consisting of officials, community officers, experts and ordinary residents, believed that it is a common practice for many countries to attract talents, professionals and foreign capital to participate in their national construction, and to promote economic and social development by granting foreigners permanent residence qualifications.

Officials made it clear that the draft regulation is still in the stage of soliciting public opinions, and they would take a scientific, democratic and law-based principle to carefully and thoroughly study relevant public opinions, according to the release.

Hangzhou lights up landmark buildings to convey support to medical workers

Starting from Monday this week, photos of medical workers, and slogans to support their efforts are screened on glass curtain walls of landmarks of Hangzhou, as a effort to pay tribute to those who fight the coronavirus on the front line.

 

Photos of Li Lanjuan, an epidemiologist and a member of the high-level expert team on the novel coronavirus are seen on outdoor LED screens in Hangzhou, Mar. 3, 2020.  (Photo: China News Service/ Wang Gang)

A photo of a medical worker is seen on an outdoor LED screen in Hangzhou, Mar. 3, 2020. (Photo: China News Service/ Wang Gang)

Slogans to support medical workers in the coronavirus fight are seen on landmark buildings along the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, Mar. 3, 2020. (Photo: China News Service/ Wang Gang)

Chinese govt's tips on workplace COVID-19 prevention

Per Chinese government, businesses and employers must play a role in COVID-19 prevention. Here are some practical tips offered by the authorities to facilitate clean workplaces and prevent the spread of the virus.

Q: Is wearing a face mask a must?
The answer would almost always be a yes. Disease control experts advise that people should wear face masks through the working day.

Q: What employers should do to ward off the virus?
One good start point is establishing health files of employees. Employers should also adopt flexible office hours and other methods to avoid large gatherings, and put more distance between employees. Besides, employers should introduce routine sterilization and ventilation in the workplace. Equip your workplace with hand sanitizer and other disinfectants, and provide your employees with face masks the must-haves.
Q: How to have safe meetings?
First, keep the meeting room well ventilated; Second, clean and disinfect the surface of the desk, doorknob and the floor before and after the meeting; Third, reduce and shorten meetings, limit the presence, widen the distance between people and ensure they are masked; Last but not least, convene online whenever possible.

Q: What to do if an employee or a member of the business is confirmed infected? Is a shutdown necessary?
The top priority is to find out the close contacts, put them under quarantine, and seek immediate medical treatment when there is a problem. If the infection has not been detected in an early stage and extensive spread takes place, the organization should undergo certain disease prevention and control measures.

In case of early detection and close contacts passing strict medical observation procedures, an operation shutdown will not be necessary.

Q: Are we supposed to shut down the central air-conditioning?
Yes. When there is a local epidemic outbreak, you should not only shut down the central AC but also disinfect the whole workplace thoroughly. Whether or not to have the AC back will then depend on an evaluation of your workplace's exposure and readiness.

Q: How to cope with employee's fear and anxiety over infection?
Inform your employees with the facts about COVID-19 prevention and control and encourage them to take proper personal protection. Seek professional psychological consulting services if needed.

Happy International Women's Day, Dear ladies!      

Dear ladies, Happy International Women's Day! HangzhouTube is wishing you all happiness and love!

For Expats in Zhejiang

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