WITH the Spring Festival approaching, how can residents enjoy the festival and stay healthy while visiting relatives and friends? Lu Hongzhou, president of the Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, suggested that citizens still need to maintain personal protective measures during the coming holiday season.

According to Lu, after China downgraded COVID-19 management to Class B from Class A on Sunday, relevant management would not be as strict as before in various aspects such as hospital infection control and epidemiological investigations.

“However, we must be soberly aware that COVID is still an infectious disease and Omicron is still spreading. People must maintain good personal protective measures,” Lu said in an interview with Shenzhen Evening News on Sunday.

Senior citizens, cancer patients, people who are immunocompromised, chronic disease patients, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups may still develop severe illness if they are infected with COVID, according to Lu.

He reminded that vulnerable groups and those who meet the vaccination conditions should get inoculated as soon as possible.

“Flu activity is also high in winter and spring, and there are also some other respiratory infectious diseases. So, try to avoid passing infection risks to the elderly at home,” Lu said.

In case of fever, dry cough, fatigue, sore throat and other symptoms, residents must pay close attention to the progress of their disease and seek timely medical help if their condition worsens.

“At present, there are still many people who are not infected, requiring more scientific, targeted and efficient prevention and control of the epidemic,” Lu said, adding that the hospital currently focuses on preventing COVID patients from developing into severe cases and enhancing treatment capabilities for severely ill patients.

Lu said the number of professional doctors and nurses in his hospital, designated as a special medical institution for COVID patients, can meet the current number of COVID patients. The intensive care units are equipped with sufficient hardware, and the general wards are equipped with noninvasive ventilators and other related medical equipment. The hospital also has stocked up on sufficient antiviral drugs.  (Zhang Yu)