2020-03-26 Beijing Review

4 BEIJING REVIEW MARCH 26, 2020 http://www.bjreview.com

THIS WEEKSOCIETY

Hospital Reopens

Over 600 medical workers from
22 Beijing hospitals have been as-
signed to work at the Xiaotangshan
Hospital, which reopened on March
16 to treat patients with the novel
coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
amid the capital’s mounting pressure
to handle imported cases.
On March 16, the hospital
tested 35 travelers transferred from
the Beijing Capital International
Airport, with one person from the
United Kingdom testing positive for
the virus, according to the Beijing
Municipal Health Commission.
The hospital, located in the
city’s northern suburb, has more
than 1,600 beds after renovation. It
accommodates inbound travelers
awaiting health screening as well as
suspected and con³ rmed patients
with mild symptoms.
It was established in 2003 to
treat patients with severe acute
respiratory syndrome. Beijing started
to renovate the hospital on January

30 as a precaution in the face of the

novel coronavirus outbreak.

Some 15,000 people worked on

the renovation, which was completed

on March 15.

Vaccines on Anvil

Some vaccines for COVID-19 are ex-

pected to enter clinical trial in China

as soon as possible, of³ cials said at a

press conference on March 17.

Chinese scientists have been

racing to develop COVID-19 vac-

cines. Wang Junzhi, an academician

with the Chinese Academy of

Engineering, said vaccine safety

is a priority in research and

development.

So far, most teams are expected

to complete preclinical research in

April and some are moving forward

faster, Wang said.

.ei Chaozi, an of³ cial with the

Ministry of Education, said one vac-

cine is currently under animal tests

and is scheduled to apply for clinical

trial by the end of April.

by the Ministry of Education and

the Ministry of Finance, said online

training should be delivered ́ exibly

depending on the situation of the

epidemic.

The circular said efforts should

be ramped up to provide assistance

to teachers in hard-hit areas.

In addition, it called for high-

quality resources to focus on

supporting schools in remote

poverty-stricken areas.

Stricter Rules

Shanghai requires 14 days’ quar-

antine for travelers who have been

to or lived in any of 16 particular

countries during the two weeks

before entering the city. They are

required to be quarantined at home

or in designated facilities, the local

government said at a press confer-

ence on March 17.

The 16 countries are the Republic

of Korea, Italy, Iran, Japan, France,

Spain, Germany, the United States,

the United Kingdom, Switzerland,

Sweden, Belgium, Norway, the

Netherlands, Denmark and Austria.

The municipal government

said it will adjust the list of countries

and regions according to the global

development of the epidemic.

Zeng Qun, Deputy Director of

the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of

Civil Affairs, said those who need to

be quarantined should not live in

the same apartment with those who

are not under quarantine to reduce

the risk of cross-infection. If the self-

quarantine conditions do not meet

quarantine requirements, passengers

will be transferred to designated

areas and their accommodation and

food will be paid for.

All passengers from the 16

countries will be transported to

temporary inspection sites to take

nucleic acid tests before quarantine.

Those with positive test results will

be transferred to designated medical

institutions for diagnosis and

treatment.

Local police, health departments

and community staff will implement

stricter management measures to

ensure that people in quarantine

Animal testing for recombinant

protein-based subunit vaccine is

also underway. China is capable of

producing high-quality and high-

purity proteins for vaccines on a

large scale, according to Lei.

For nucleic acid-based vac-

cines, Lei said China is stepping up

studies based on past experience in

combating Middle East respiratory

syndrome-coronavirus and will

speed up tests.

Some universities and colleges

have also isolated COVID-19 anti-

bodies from the blood of recovered

patients, which will be able to

provide three-week-long immunity.

Online Training

China will launch an online program

to help teachers in middle and

primary schools and kindergartens

improve their online teaching ability

amid the novel coronavirus out-

break, according to a newly issued

circular.

The circular, jointly released

XIN

HU

A

Transit C enter

A staff member registers an inbound passenger's information at the New China International Exhibition Center in Beijing
on March 17. Beijing has converted the exhibition center into a transit center for inbound passengers from countries with
high risks of COVID-19. The center, divided into different zones according to the destinations of passengers, is used for
people showing no fever, cough or other symptoms during the health inspection at the airport.