China will adhere to dynamic zero-COVID policy: health authorities

BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- China will adhere to its dynamic zero-COVID policy and strategies to tackle both imported and domestic infections, a Chinese health official said at a press conference on Tuesday.

China's policy and containment measures have proved effective against the Omicron variant, said Mi Feng, a spokesperson for the National Health Commission (NHC).

The implementation of control measures for COVID-19 including epidemiological investigation and nucleic acid testing should be decisive, rapid and strict, Mi said.

He called on the public to get vaccinated against COVID-19, especially those aged 60 and older.

Nearly 3.2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered on the Chinese mainland by Monday, the National Health Commission said on Tuesday.

At the press conference, Lei Zhenglong, deputy head of the disease control and prevention division of the NHC, said that work teams have been dispatched to regions where outbreaks took place, and will help local authorities implement targeted epidemic-control measures to contain cluster infections.

So far, all regions hit by the latest wave of COVID-19 outbreaks are taking resolute measures to contain the virus, said Lei, adding that the current epidemic situation is controllable.

The NHC will work jointly with other departments to guard against the importation of the virus, and advance the administration of COVID-19 vaccines, said Lei.

He also called on the public to continue adhering to basic epidemic prevention measures such as wearing masks and keeping social distance.