Ziqiang Han1,2, Xin Ai3, Justin Veuthey4. 1. School of Political Science and Public Administration, Shandong University, China. 2. Center for Crisis Management Research, Tsinghua University, China. 3. School of Social Science, The University of Manchester, United Kingdom. 4. Department of Sociology, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This article investigates how a Chinese local government responded to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, and the lessons can be valuable for the ongoing response efforts worldwide. METHODS: This case study used primarily participant observations and interviews with stakeholders. RESULTS: We find that nonpharmaceutical interventions, especially the physical distancing measures, are the primary tools used to contain the spread of the virus, and these actions keep changing to adapt to the situation of the local cases and the directions from the central government. Medical countermeasures, maintenance of essential public services, and effective public communications tactics are important allies of the strict physical distancing measures, which can enforce the public's compliance. CONCLUSIONS: Local governments are the frontlines of emergency response. Both regulated policies (eg, physical distancing) and supportive services (eg, medical and essential living support) are necessary to the success of public health emergency response.
OBJECTIVE: This article investigates how a Chinese local government responded to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, and the lessons can be valuable for the ongoing response efforts worldwide. METHODS: This case study used primarily participant observations and interviews with stakeholders. RESULTS: We find that nonpharmaceutical interventions, especially the physical distancing measures, are the primary tools used to contain the spread of the virus, and these actions keep changing to adapt to the situation of the local cases and the directions from the central government. Medical countermeasures, maintenance of essential public services, and effective public communications tactics are important allies of the strict physical distancing measures, which can enforce the public's compliance. CONCLUSIONS: Local governments are the frontlines of emergency response. Both regulated policies (eg, physical distancing) and supportive services (eg, medical and essential living support) are necessary to the success of public health emergency response.
Entities:
Keywords:
COVID-19; China; emergency response; local government; physical distancing
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