Beijing to Expedite Expansion of NAT Capacity and Coverage

On 27 June, Xu Hejian, Deputy Head of the Communication Department of the CPC Beijing Committee, Director of the Information Office and Spokesperson of the Beijing Municipal Government, stated the following at a press conference on Beijing's COVID-19 response: based on the case analysis, findings of epidemiological investigation and the chain of transmission since the COVID-19 cluster emerged at the Xinfadi Wholesale Market, the new infections involve a complex range of sectors, settings, personnel, means of transmission and symptoms. It is thus imperative to decisively cut off all possible routes of transmission. While prioritizing prevention, Beijing will scale up nucleic acid testing (NAT) capacity more expeditiously and expand NAT coverage as much as possible. Efforts will be made to step up monitoring of and guidance on NAT pricing, improve NAT pricing policy and ensure effective coverage of medical insurance. Residents need to follow the anti-epidemic guidelines issued by competent authorities and stick to the following six key measures on control and prevention, namely frequent use of face masks, social distancing, proper hand hygiene, cooperation in health monitoring, ensuring food safety and routine sanitation and disinfection.

(Full text is available at http://bjrb.bjd.com.cn/html/2020-06/28/content_12468757.htm)