Hospitals, public transport run smoothly as COVID curbs eased
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Time estimated: 12 min
Both public hospitals and international medical facilities in the city are reporting a stable number of fever patients, after the city loosened rules on pandemic management.
They have adopted a smooth procedure to ensure patients can receive timely treatment, no matter if they are COVID-positive or not.
Though there has been a small rise of COVID-positive people in fever clinics, the entire medical operation in local hospitals is in good order.
Hospital officials stated people with no or light symptoms needn't seek admission. Instead they can have a good rest, while taking certain medicines and conducting observation at home.
Officials from Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital said there has been no big rise in its fever clinic admissions in recent days.
Fever patients without 48-hour negative nucleic acid test results only need to receive an antigen test outside the fever clinic and can receive treatment in designated places in accordance with the result.
If the antigen test is positive, patients who are not in serious condition can return home after treatment. While those with serious condition will be hospitalized, hospital officials said.
Ruijin Hospital said it has established a buffer area outside its emergency department and conducted classified management. Critical patients can be sent to the buffer area for immediate rescue while undergoing instant antigen and nucleic acid test at the same time.
The hospital also set up special wards and areas at its outpatient and hospitalization sections to ensure the treatment of infectors and non-infectors, according to Chen Erzhen, Ruijin's vice president.
We encourage patients with chronic and common diseases to use the online service for medicine prescriptions instead of visiting the hospital to reduce risk.
— Chen Erzhen
Ruijin's vice president
A sign for fever alertness clinic at the entrance of a Shanghai United Family Hospital branch
International hospitals are also in full preparation.
Officials from Shanghai United Family Hospital said it had received three to four positive patients each day since Friday.
Fever patients who have no 48-hour negative nucleic acid report should receive an antigen test on the spot. Patients with negative or positive results can receive treatment in different areas at the emergency department to avoid infection.
The emergency doctors will carry out evaluation and give treatment on positive patients and make relevant decision – prescribing medicine or recruiting for hospitalization.
Officials from Shanghai Health Promotion Center said COVID-19 infectors without symptoms or with slight symptoms needn't be overly concerned. Good rest, proper personal hygiene and taking medicine in line with the symptoms are enough.
While elderly people, those with chronic disease and children should visit the hospital if suffering from high fever for days, difficulty in breathing, poor appetite, while infants younger than three months should be taken to hospital whenever having a fever.
People whose symptoms become light or vanish, and whose self antigen test is negative plus two nucleic acid tests with negative results, can go out and resume normal life, the center said.
Metro network
Shanghai's Metro network resumed full normal operations today, when the Shanghai International Circuit Station of Metro Line 11 in Jiading District reopened, said Shanghai Shentong Metro Group.
Metro riders are no longer required to provide health codes and negative polymerase chain reaction test results after they get off trains on the Kunshan section of Line 11.
Meanwhile, the city's long-distance coach service is gradually back to normal.
Bus services from Shanghai to Yixing, neighboring Jiangsu Province, have resumed with four journeys operated daily, according to the city's long-distance bus service operator.
Other routes from Shanghai to Taizhou, Muyang and Sihong, all in Jiangsu, Guangde in Anhui Province, Lanxi in Zhejiang Province and Changzhi in Shanxi Province have resumed as well.
Interprovincial bus services between Shanghai and Cixi, Ningbo, Pinghu and Shaoxing in Zhejiang, Changshu and Zhangjiagang in Jiangsu resume today as
well.
Itinerary card and venue code
China's itinerary card, used for tracing the travel history of people in the country, will be retired from tomorrow to further ease the COVID-19 controls, an official statement said today.
The "Communications Itinerary Card," which tracks whether someone has been to a high-risk area based on their phone signal, will go offline at 12am Tuesday, according to an official WeChat post, after more than two years in operation.
"All channels to get the itinerary card such as text messages, web pages, WeChat mini program, Alipay mini program and app will go offline at the same time," the statement said.
From tomorrow, people in Shanghai will no longer be required to scan venue codes to enter public places, except for special places such as elderly-care homes, children's welfare institutions, hospitals and medical facilities, and schools (including childcare centers).
Key working units and large enterpriese are allowed to set their own COVID control rules, including checking health codes. The city will continue to optimize COVID measures according to national policies and the current COVID situation.
Li Tongzeng, director of the infection department of Beijing Youan Hospital and a medical expert at Xiaotangshan Hospital, answered some online questions about home quarantine and COVID treatment during an interview with CCTV on Saturday.
Q
Do I gain immunity after being infected with COVID-19?
There is no lifelong immunity from COVID infection. People will only gain short-term immunity for a certain strain after getting infected. They can be re-infected, in a similar manner to influenza.
There is a higher likelihood of re-infection with Omicron, than Delta and other COVID variants. There is also a risk of having severe symptoms after being re-infected. Protection and vaccination are still necessary after recovery.
Q
When should I take medicines after testing positive?
Medicines are mainly to relieve symptoms. People can take pills according to symptoms on the second day, which is usually the toughest, if sleep and rest have been affected.
It is unnecessary for infected people with no symptoms to take medicines. Just have a good rest at home and have a positive mood.
Q
Should I sleep more and drink more water after infection?
Sufficient sleep is necessary to help recovery, but it is unnecessary to drink too much water.
People sweating a lot after taking anti-pyretic pills or suffering from emesis or diarrhea should take a moderate amount of water.
Q
How much ibuprofen should I have at home?
Three to five days of ibuprofen will be enough, because the fever will last for three days in most cases. It will disappear or become mild on the fourth or fifth day.
It is forbidden to take more than one kind or too much amount of anti-pyretic.
Q
When should I go to hospital during home quarantine?
Young people suffering from more than three days of high fever with no sign of relief, or breathing difficulty or confusion, as well as seniors with unstable underlying diseases.
Q
How to protect the elderly and children if a family member tests positive?
It is suggested people go to a makeshift hospital or find another place for self-quarantine, if there are vulnerable groups at home, such as people over 80 years and those with severe underlying diseases. The seniors or the children can also be relocated temporarily.
If there is no other place for quarantine, it is better to choose a separate, well-ventilated room and reduce contact with family members.
Wearing a mask and keep a distance of at least 2 meters. Frequent ventilation and disinfection are also necessary.
Q
How to use antigen and PCR tests together?
Antigen self-testing is more recommended when the pandemic situation is severe. In case of a positive antigen result and there are symptoms such as fever, cough and sore throat, there is high possibility of infection. Citizens can report to the community and follow the guidance.
Q
Can Omicron be spread through sewers or kitchen ventilators?
There is a small possibility that the virus can transmit through sewers or kitchen ventilators. But transmission among neighbors usually happens in elevators or in the corridors.
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Editor: Su Yanxian
Designer: Shi Jingyun, Li XiaoyingWriter: Cai Wenjun, Yang Jian
Photo: Ti Gong/CFP