China will take forward the public health campaign nationwide as it works to prevent COVID-19 and other diseases throughout winter and build a Healthy China, the State Council’s executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang decided on Nov 6.

The Chinese government puts great emphasis on public health. Since COVID-19 struck, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made multiple important instructions on pushing forward the public health campaign nationwide to improve sanitation conditions and living environment for both rural and urban residents, upgrade public health facilities and encourage a healthy lifestyle. Premier Li Keqiang has underlined the need to advance the public health campaign for the new era with an innovative and reform spirit. Specific arrangements have been made for work on this front in this year’s Government Work Report.

It was agreed at the meeting that the public health campaign plays an important role in protecting and promoting people’s health, and work on this front must be enhanced.

The meeting points out that winter is a key season for running the campaign and competent departments should facilitate the related work. It is important to coordinate efforts in conducting the campaign and stepping up prevention and control of COVID-19, flu, and other infectious diseases. Containment measures should be kept in place throughout the winter.

Regular hand-washing, proper ventilation, single-serve food, and serving chopsticks are encouraged.

Mask-wearing and social distancing requirements should be fulfilled in light of the containment needs.

The meeting required summarizing containment experiences and making a science-based assessment of COVID-19 developments. Contingency plans on local clusters of cases should be refined. Reserves of material supplies should be enhanced. The meeting also urged appropriately mobilizing resources for epidemiological investigation, testing, and medical treatment. Relevant information should be released in a fact-based and transparent manner. Meanwhile, flu and other diseases should also be prevented.

The meeting called for a comprehensive improvement of the living environment in both rural and urban areas. Efforts will be made for sanitation improvements in key places such as farmers' markets, small canteens, old residential communities, and urban-rural fringe areas.

Sanitation systems will be strengthened to eliminate any breeding ground for pathogenic micro-organisms.

Public health facilities, and sewage and garbage treatment facilities will be improved.

The general public is encouraged to adopt good health habits and adopt a healthy lifestyle, to quit smoking, take limited alcohol, exercise regularly, and maintain a wholesome diet.

Basic health knowledge will be promoted more widely. Health education will also be included in the national education system to raise public health awareness and improve health for all.