04:46China: Senior health officials blame COVID backlash on local implementation and irregularities
China’s top health officials defended the country’s COVID-19 measures and blamed some of the implementation, following protests against restrictions across the country in recent days, during a briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
"The problems highlighted by the public are not aimed at the epidemic prevention and control itself, but focus on simplifying prevention and control measures, and ignoring the aspirations of the public," stated Deputy Director of the Bureau of Supervision of the State Health Commission, Cheng Youquan.
"In some places, the area of control and the scope of personnel have been expanded, the lockdown in some areas has not been unsealed for a long time, and in some places went into lockdown without approval from government," he continued.
The deputy director also stated that task forces have been set up to address the local issues, to respond to the problems highlighted by the public.
National Health Commission spokesperson Mi Feng said that the team had been studying and adjusting restrictions to "maximise the protection of the interests of the people and minimise the
impact of the epidemic on economic and social development.”
Meanwhile Guo Yanhong, Official of Medical Administration and Hospital Administration at the National Health Commission added that "illegal problems in testing institutions" had been identified, while some institutions and individuals were being "investigated for criminal responsibility."
Protests against COVID-19 restrictions were sparked across the country over the weekend. Some demonstrators blamed lockdown measures for the scale of the deadly blaze at a residential block in Urumqi on Thursday, which killed 10 people.
However, Chinese media reports suggested the area was classified as 'low risk' with those inside allowed to come and go. Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian blamed "forces with ulterior motives" for making the link.
China posted a record daily high of 40, 387 COVID-19 cases on Monday, although there was a slight decline on Tuesday to 38,645.
04:46China’s top health officials defended the country’s COVID-19 measures and blamed some of the implementation, following protests against restrictions across the country in recent days, during a briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
"The problems highlighted by the public are not aimed at the epidemic prevention and control itself, but focus on simplifying prevention and control measures, and ignoring the aspirations of the public," stated Deputy Director of the Bureau of Supervision of the State Health Commission, Cheng Youquan.
"In some places, the area of control and the scope of personnel have been expanded, the lockdown in some areas has not been unsealed for a long time, and in some places went into lockdown without approval from government," he continued.
The deputy director also stated that task forces have been set up to address the local issues, to respond to the problems highlighted by the public.
National Health Commission spokesperson Mi Feng said that the team had been studying and adjusting restrictions to "maximise the protection of the interests of the people and minimise the
impact of the epidemic on economic and social development.”
Meanwhile Guo Yanhong, Official of Medical Administration and Hospital Administration at the National Health Commission added that "illegal problems in testing institutions" had been identified, while some institutions and individuals were being "investigated for criminal responsibility."
Protests against COVID-19 restrictions were sparked across the country over the weekend. Some demonstrators blamed lockdown measures for the scale of the deadly blaze at a residential block in Urumqi on Thursday, which killed 10 people.
However, Chinese media reports suggested the area was classified as 'low risk' with those inside allowed to come and go. Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian blamed "forces with ulterior motives" for making the link.
China posted a record daily high of 40, 387 COVID-19 cases on Monday, although there was a slight decline on Tuesday to 38,645.