Published online Jul 26, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i14.2959
Peer-review started: May 19, 2020
First decision: June 4, 2020
Revised: June 11, 2020
Accepted: June 29, 2020
Article in press: June 29, 2020
Published online: July 26, 2020
Processing time: 65 Days and 21.7 Hours
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging, rapidly evolving disease that spreads through the respiratory system and is highly contagious. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. In China, the pandemic was controlled after 2 mo through effective policies and containment measures. Describing the detailed policies and containment measures used to control the epidemic in Chongqing will provide a reference for the prevention and control of COVID-19 in other areas of the world.
To explore the effects of different policies and containment measures on the control of the COVID-19 epidemic in Chongqing.
Epidemiological data on COVID-19 in Chongqing were prospectively collected from January 21 to March 15, 2020. The policies and prevention measures implemented by the government during the epidemic period were also collected. Trend analysis was performed to explore the impact of the main policy measures on the effectiveness of the control of COVID-19 in Chongqing.
As of March 15, the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 in Chongqing was 1.84/100000 (576 cases) and the infection fatality rate was 1.04% (6/576). The spread of COVID-19 was controlled by effective policies that involved establishing a group for directing the COVID-19 epidemic control effort; strengthening guidance and supervision; ensuring the supply of daily necessities and medical supplies and equipment to residents; setting up designated hospitals; implementing legal measures; and enhancing health education. Medical techniques were implemented to improve the recovery rate and control the epidemic. Policies such as “the lockdown of Wuhan”, “initiating a first-level response to major public health emergencies”, and “implementing the closed management of residential communities” significantly curbed the spread of COVID-19. Optimizing the diagnosis process, shortening the diagnosis time, and constructing teams of clinical experts facilitated the provision of “one team of medical experts for each patient” treatment for severe patients, which significantly improved the recovery rate and reduced the infection fatality rate.
The prevention policies and containment measures implemented by the government and medical institutions are highly effective in controlling the spread of the epidemic and increasing the recovery rate of COVID-19 patients.
Core tip: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation, and effective treatment measures are difficult to formulate in a short time. Public health policies and containment measures play a vital role in the prevention and control of COVID-19. Policies such as “the lockdown of Wuhan”, “initiating a first-level response to major public health emergencies”, and “implementing the closed management of residential communities” significantly controlled the spread of COVID-19. Optimizing the diagnosis process, shortening the diagnosis time, and constructing teams of clinical experts facilitated the provision of “one team of medical experts for each patient” treatment for severe cases, significantly improved the recovery rate, and reduced the incidence rate (1.84/100000) and the infection fatality rate [1.04% (6/576)] of COVID-19.