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Trajectory of COVID-19 response and management strategy in China: scientific rationale driven strategy adjustments

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Abstract

The pneumonia caused by novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 infection in early December 2019, which was later named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO), rapidly spread across the world. China has made extraordinary efforts to this unprecedented pandemic, put its response and control at a very high level of infectious disease management (Category B but with measures for Category A), given top priority to the people and their lives, and balanced the pandemic control and socio-economic development. After more than three years’ fighting against this disease, China downgraded the management of COVID-19 to Category B infectious disease on January 8, 2023 and the WHO declared the end of public health emergency on May 5, 2023. However, the ending of pandemic does not mean that the disease is no longer a health threat. Experiences against COVID-19 from China and the whole world should be learned to prepare well for the future public health emergencies. This article gives a systematic review of the trajectory of COVID-19 development in China, summarizes the critical policy arrangements and provides evidence for the adjustment during policy making process, so as to share experiences with international community and contribute to the global health for all humanity.

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  1. Zeyu Zhang, Yue Yan, and Lina Zhao equally contributed to the manuscript.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Hospital Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Zeyu Zhang, Yue Yan, Lina Zhao, Yizhou Bian, Ning Zhao, You Wu & Zongjiu Zhang

  2. School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Zeyu Zhang, Yue Yan, Lina Zhao, You Wu & Zongjiu Zhang

  3. School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China

    Dahai Zhao

  4. Yale University–Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Center for Health Policy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China

    Dahai Zhao

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  1. Zeyu Zhang
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Correspondence to You Wu, Dahai Zhao or Zongjiu Zhang.

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Conflicts of interest Zeyu Zhang, Yue Yan, Lina Zhao, Yizhou Bian, Ning Zhao, You Wu, Dahai Zhao, and Zongjiu Zhang declared no conflict of interest.

This manuscript is a review article and does not involve a research protocol requiring approval by the relevant institutional review board or ethics committee.

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Zhang, Z., Yan, Y., Zhao, L. et al. Trajectory of COVID-19 response and management strategy in China: scientific rationale driven strategy adjustments. Front. Med. 18, 19–30 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11684-024-1074-6

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