People-centered approach key to saving lives in China's pandemic fight

China's victory in largely controlling the pandemic should be attributed to its people-centered approach, said Yang Weizhong, vice-president of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association and executive president of the School of Population Medicine and Public Health at Peking Union Medical College, during an exclusive interview with China Daily.

The war against this outbreak is far from over, but the Chinese government giving top priority to people's lives can explain China's resolute actions in fighting the pandemic, Yang made?these?comments?as?he?answered questions related to China's pandemic fight asked by readers around the world.

China Daily has been conducting an in-depth survey since February with our global media partners on what readers want to know about China.

According to the survey, China's fight against COVID-19 is one of the most-watched topics as readers and media have been interested in how China has quickly contained the pandemic and launched nationwide vaccinations.

Yang mentioned three key requirements for China conquering COVID-19: government with strong leadership, following the science to make the best decisions, and above all an approach which is collective and grounded in solidarity.

Some challenges remain despite vaccination rates rising. Yang used two words to describe the coronavirus - one is "weird" and the other is "brutal". He mentioned that 82 percent of all infected people are asymptomatic. With such a large proportion, it is very difficult for us to discover this disease to control it and prevent it.

The coronavirus has?shown it knows?no?boundaries and respects?no borders, Yang argued, adding that it has had a rapid and wide-reaching spread, with profound and interconnected impacts.

"We must fight the enemy on the same terms, and not play politics in the fight against COVID-19," he said.