Opinions sought on child care home regulations

A National Health Commission department is soliciting the public's opinion on regulations drafted for the operation of family child care homes, where caregivers look after children in private homes.

According to the rules drafted by the Department of Population Surveillance and Family Development, homes should take in no more than five children, all of whom should be under 3.

Service providers should be physically and mentally healthy. Those who suffer or used to suffer from mental health disorders or who have criminal records are not qualified to run or work at the homes, according to the draft.

Each caregiver should have charge of no more than three children, so a home with more than three children would require at least two caregivers.

Homes should be well ventilated, have a comfortable temperature and appropriate lighting, and people are forbidden from running the homes in basements or partial basement locations. In addition, homes should have security cameras that cover everywhere children go, and footage should be stored for at least 90 days. The department said it is open to public feedback on the draft via mail, fax or e-mail before April 14.

Ministry looks to better utilize heritage sites

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has revised regulations on managing national industrial heritage sites and is encouraging authorities to give them new roles, such as by turning sites into movie or television studios.

The ministry also encouraged cities along the Grand Canal and the Yellow and Yangtze rivers to participate in protecting and using the sites by transforming them into parks.

The ministry first issued regulations in 2018. It is responsible for certifying national industrial heritage sites, which were built during "China's long process of industrial development and which have significant historical, technological, social or artistic value".

The ministry has supported the creation of industrial museums on sites as well as turning them into tourist destinations, cultural industry parks and centers for innovation and startups.

Regions urged to remain vigilant on COVID-19

All provincial-level regions are required to keep a lookout for cases of COVID-19.

In a notice issued recently, the National Development and Reform Commission and seven other organizations tasked local authorities with strengthening monitoring of the epidemic's development and with implementing strict response measures previously the country has adopted since it downgraded the management of the epidemic in January.

Authorities should improve early detection, warning and intervention in cases, as well as their ability to trace variants both at home and abroad.

They should also strengthen weak links in disease prevention and control by enhancing health services for seniors and children and authorities must encourage the elderly to get vaccinated.

In addition, the notice tasked authorities with improving hygiene in cities and rural areas and with strengthening waste management practices.