The week that started with the news of a positive case of COVID in Nanjing is ending with official announcements concerning successful disposal of the case. All the stops were pulled out and Nanjing is now once again declared COVID free, but how did they do it?
One solitary case. But if the past 18 months has taught us anything, it’s that’s all it takes. And China is a country which knows a thing or two about exponential growth. Hence, when an out-of-towner was tested positive on 11 July, it was time to get moving.
It all started on 7 July when a man, surnamed Xiao, visited Nanjing, after taking high speed train, G7610, from Ningbo in Zhejiang Province. Having been in close contact with a COVID-infected person in Anhui Province, Xiao was sent to a centralised isolation point for medical observation on 9 July. He had not been COVID vaccinated. Nucleic acid test results were returned negative but upon testing again on 11 July, Xiao returned a positive result.
Step 1: Epidemiological Investigation & Big Data Analysis
Xiao had been staying in the Hanfuxinyuan Residential Community in Tiexinqiao Subdistrict of Nanjing’s Yuhuatai district. Analysis of big data revealed Xiao was in close contact with ten individuals; nine from Nanjing and one from elsewhere. The nine were quickly tested and the other alerted to cooperate with their local health authorities. All results were negative.
The net was then cast a little wider, with a total of 150 people in closer proximity to Xiao within the residential community being tested. Again, all results returned negative.
Step 2: Alert the Media
One advantage to China’s state-controlled media is that during times of crisis, it is capable of getting a unified message to almost every person in a matter of minutes. The Paper was just one of many media outlets to carry that message this Monday, 12 July. Therein, the local public were urged as to the personal protection steps they should take, to not take public transportation, to wear masks and to go to Tiexinqiao Community Health Service Centre for nucleic acid sampling.
Step 3: Implement “1+3+10” Prevention & Control
In this, the cornerstone in dealing with isolated positive cases of COVID in Nanjing, under “1+3+10” the Hanfuxinyuan Residential Community was placed in immediate lockdown (the “1); all wet markets, eateries and supermarkets (the “3”) were shuttered; and tests were rolled out in the ten surrounding residential communities (the “10”). All in all, 30,433 people in key spots and 11 communities were tested for COVID. As of 01:30 am on 13 July, all results were negative.
Step 4: Disinfection of Surfaces
Disinfection of all relevant places was then carried out, over a total area of 23,700 square metres.
Step 5: Personnel Safety and Logistical Support
In the locked down Hanfuxinyuan Residential Community, many kinds of staff provided support for key groups, such as people requiring hemodialysis and children. They also assisted to purchase daily necessities and medicine for residents, and hire psychological counselors for those feeling in need, reported The Paper on 13 July. A total of 715 volunteers, including government cadres, community workers, medical staff, public security officers and residential community management, helped solved the needs of over 1,200 people.
It had been just 6 days since Xiao had arrived in Nanjing. Yesterday, Nanjing Municipal Party Secretary, Han Liming, visited the scene and expressed her deepest gratitude to local residents for their cooperation and front line personnel who have worked so tirelessly this week, reported Nanjing PSA this morning. She also used the opportunity to urge medical staff to do well in their vaccination efforts, accelerating the construction of an immunity barrier.
And that, in a nutshell, is how to make sure one COVID case does not very quickly lead to many and why Nanjing remains a very safe place to be.
