Epidemic Information

China CDC: Some Measures to Be Optimized, but Overall Prevention Strategy Remains Unchanged After La
• Q: Will normalized COVID-19 prevention and control measures be adjusted following large-scale vaccine deployment?
  At a press conference on March 21 organized by the State Council Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism to discuss the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, Feng Zijian, Deputy Director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), stated:
  "Globally, the pandemic continues to rage. China’s vaccination rate remains relatively low, and we are still far from achieving herd immunity. Meanwhile, imported cases from high-prevalence regions—whether through travelers or goods—pose a persistent risk of domestic transmission.
  
  
  Current vaccines provide better protection against severe illness than against infection or mild symptoms. Additionally, several concerning viral variants abroad have emerged, some of which may reduce vaccine effectiveness. Taking all these factors into account, China will continue its current normalized prevention strategy of 'preventing imported cases and domestic resurgences' in the near term. However, we will also orderly optimize certain measures based on global epidemic trends, international vaccination progress, and China’s own vaccination schedule."

  Key Points:

  1. Pandemic Realities:
     • Low domestic vaccination rate + ongoing global spread = sustained risk of imported infections.
     • Vaccines excel at preventing severe disease but are less effective against mild/in asymptomatic cases.
     • Variant viruses challenge vaccine protection, requiring continued vigilance.
  2. Policy Balance:
     • Core strategy ("外防输入、内防反弹") remains unchanged to guard against resurgences.
     • "Optimization" implies targeted adjustments (e.g., quarantine protocols, testing frequency) rather than wholesale changes, guided by scientific data and global dynamics.
  
  
  Source: State Council Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism Press Conference (March 21, 2021)
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