Closed-loop management will be implemented during the Beijing Winter Olympics-Interview with Huang Chun, Deputy Director of the Office of Epidemic Prevention and Control of the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee

Reporter at“Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympic Games Epidemic Prevention Manual”(Referred to as “Epidemic Prevention Manual”)After the release, I interviewed Huang Chun, deputy director of the Epidemic Prevention and Control Office of the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, and he answered questions related to the Epidemic Prevention Manual.

Reporter: Under what background was the “Epidemic Prevention Manual” released? Why should we formulate this “Epidemic Prevention Manual”? Will adjustments be made next?

Huang Chun: The current global new crown epidemic is still spreading, and the situation is very uncertain. Hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics in this context will bring risks of the import and spread of the epidemic to the host city. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate an “Epidemic Prevention Manual” so that all personnel involved in the Olympics will follow the epidemic prevention guidelines.

The current “Epidemic Prevention Manual” is the first edition. This edition first informs all those who come to China what they need to prepare in advance. From October to December, Beijing will host an international series of test competitions, international training weeks and test activities, all in accordance with the epidemic prevention standards during the Winter Olympics. Through these events, we will learn more about the situation, and continue to improve the “Epidemic Prevention Manual” to enrich the content.

The second and final edition of the “Epidemic Prevention Manual” will be released in December this year. There will be many detailed regulations in the second edition. At the same time, the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee will continue to conduct analysis, judgment, and risk assessment based on the global epidemic situation and with reference to the relevant epidemic prevention policies of various countries, and make some adjustments to prevention and control measures, and finally form a complete “Epidemic Prevention” manual”.

Reporter: What is the basis for formulating the “Epidemic Prevention Manual”?

Huang Chun: The formulation of the “Epidemic Prevention Manual” was jointly discussed and formulated by the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, relevant departments of the Chinese government and experts in related fields.

The formulation of the “Epidemic Prevention Manual” is based on China’s epidemic prevention policies. Six principles have been determined in the overall prevention and control plan of the Beijing Winter Olympics: one is the principle of not coming to China if it is not necessary; the second is the principle of classified management, that is, athletes are vaccinated against the new crown. “Everything should be taken.” Other foreigners coming to China are given the choice. If they are vaccinated, they are exempt from isolation. If they are not vaccinated, they must undergo a 21-day centralized quarantine. The third is the principle of closed-loop management. After foreigners enter China, It is necessary to accept closed-loop management throughout the whole process; the fourth is the principle of emergency response, when emergencies occur, if a positive case of the new crown is found, the epidemic should be controlled as soon as possible according to the plan; the fifth is the principle of normalized prevention and control, which is to maintain social distance and wear masks frequently A series of normalized prevention and control measures such as hand washing; finally, the principle of dynamic adjustment. Based on changes in the epidemic situation, policy adjustments, and the effectiveness of vaccination coverage, experts will analyze and risk assessment of the epidemic situation, and dynamically adjust relevant epidemic prevention measures and requirements.

Reporter: Please give examples of the features of the “Epidemic Prevention Manual”.

Huang Chun: After the publication of the “Epidemic Prevention Manual”, all Olympic-related personnel must carefully read and understand, and must strictly implement it, restrain their own behavior, and fulfill their own epidemic prevention responsibilities. The more prominent focus of the “Epidemic Prevention Manual” is the new crown vaccination, which requires all people who come to China to complete the entire vaccination process before entering China. Not only foreigners, but also domestic Olympic-related personnel require the entire vaccination process.

Another aspect is closed-loop management. The closed-loop management of the Beijing Winter Olympics has become more stringent. However, this closed-loop management does not completely restrict the freedom of movement of Olympic personnel. It is in a large closed-loop area. Through special transportation in the closed loop, Olympic personnel can flow between the station, venue, and venue, including the three competition areas. . It is emphasized that it must flow in a closed-loop management area, separated from the society.

The Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee provides athletes, coaches and officials with a good and comfortable experience in the closed-loop area. For example, provide some special catering and retail products, set up cafes, gyms and other leisure and entertainment facilities.

Reporter: Could you please introduce what is closed-loop management?

Huang Chun: Closed-loop management refers to people who come to China from abroad. They start their body temperature screening after entering the customs. After nucleic acid sampling, they are directly sent to the Olympic village or contracted hotel by special transportation. Each Olympic village and contract hotel is an independent closed loop. From entry to arrival and departure transportation, catering, accommodation, training, competitions, and media interviews, multiple closed-loop points have been formed. The movement and work of these closed-loop points by means of transportation is a complete closed-loop.

Reporter: How to carry out the closed-loop management of the competition interval?

Huang Chun: Take transportation as an example. The Beijing Winter Olympics is equipped with sufficient buses, minibuses, minibuses, and high-speed rail. There are specific protection requirements for the ride along the traffic, including schedules.

In addition, the Beijing Winter Olympics arranged for Olympic-related personnel to take special vehicles instead of public transportation. This is a bottom line and cannot be separated from the closed loop.

Reporter: What are the requirements for entry and exit management in the “Epidemic Prevention Manual”?

Huang Chun: Speaking of entry and exit management, this is the point that everyone is most concerned about. China’s laws are very strict on entry and exit management. Starting from the remote end, after the Olympics-related personnel are determined to participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics, they must conduct health monitoring, including body temperature testing, 14 days before coming to China. The second is to complete the entire vaccination period 14 days before coming to China. The third is to do two nucleic acid tests within 96 hours before coming to China. In addition, during the flight, it is required to wear N95 masks. Except for meals, try not to take off masks. Keep social distance and reduce conversations as much as possible.

After the Olympic-related personnel enter the Chinese customs to complete the health declaration and nucleic acid sampling, they do not need to wait for the results at the airport, but are directly delivered to the residence by a special vehicle, but cannot leave the room until the results are not available. Those who have a negative test result enjoy the quarantine-free policy; if the test result is positive, they will be re-examined. Those who are still positive will be treated in isolation in designated hospitals for symptomatic persons, and those who are asymptomatic-positive will be treated in specially designated places. Isolate.

Reporter: What are the requirements for nucleic acid testing?

Huang Chun: After the Olympic personnel enter the closed-loop management, their temperature will be taken every day, and foreign personnel, including domestic staff serving foreign personnel, will be tested once a day by a throat swab. On the other hand, the service staff at the periphery of the closed loop will do a nucleic acid test every other day. Once a positive is found, we can catch it in time and control the spread of the epidemic in time.

Reporter: How does the “Epidemic Prevention Manual” define close contacts?

Huang Chun: The eighth edition of China’s new crown pneumonia epidemic prevention and control plan has a decision on close contact, but this is slightly different from the definition in the “Epidemic Prevention Manual”. An overall criterion for judging close contact is that the infected person had close contact with the infected person within one metre of the infected person and stayed for more than 15 minutes in the two days before the symptoms of the infected person appeared, or two days before the nucleic acid sample was sampled. Other reference standards include whether there is effective mask protection, surveillance video data, etc., as well as a comprehensive judgment based on the basis of each delegation, each competition team, and the media team’s new crown liaison officer.