Zhang Wenhong: Singapore cannot hold very large gatherings

Reporter : Qian Wei / Editor : Su Yiyu / http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2020/11-16/9339456.shtml / Extract translation, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA / Image : Zhang Wenhong accepts an interview of China News Network programme "China Focus Face to Face" (Photo by Jiang Qiming).

Qian Wei: According to your observation, which country is doing better in the prevention and control of the (covid) epidemic in the world, or has some reference significance for our country (China)?

Zhang Wenhong: We now see countries like Singapore and South Korea. Although there is no guarantee that there will be no local cases, the epidemics are basically controlled at a very low level and can basically be opened internally. The strategies adopted by these countries are in fact very close to those of China.

Their approach is to screen close contacts after the case is discovered, but the scope of screening has not been expanded. For example, if a confirmed patient is found in a building, colleagues who are in close contact will be screened, but everyone in the entire building will not be screened, nor will all people in the entire building be isolated. Their scope is smaller. However, there is a risk if it is smaller, and there may be "fish that slip through the net". When it is discovered, a second round of tracking and screening will be conducted.

The advantage of this is that the whole society recognizes the low-level epidemic of the virus, adopts prevention and control strategies, maintains a certain social distance, and wears masks. Even if there is a "fish that slips through the net", it will not cause an outbreak. Therefore, these countries basically cannot hold very large gatherings, but society can maintain normalization for a long time.

 We in China are dynamically cleared, basically there are no cases, but once there are cases, we will strictly screen. Our screening scope is slightly enlarged than theirs. What are the benefits? When the relevant cases of confirmed patients are cleared, we can immediately expand our social activities. So now, many large-scale gatherings across the country that properly maintain social distancing have resumed. Including this Shanghai International Import Expo, a large-scale event of more than 1 million people, we have also resumed.

So various prevention and control strategies have their own advantages and disadvantages. What strategy this country should adopt depends on its own circumstances.