At the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on March 17, 2022 to set out work plans for strict and effective epidemic prevention and control, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out “the need to put the people and their health first and stick to the dynamic zero-COVID policy with scientific and targeted measures, so as to speedily curb the spread of the virus nationwide." He also stressed “the need to well coordinate the relationship between anti-epidemic work and economic and social development, take more effective measures, strive to achieve the maximum effect of epidemic prevention and control at the lowest cost and minimize the impact of the pandemic on economic and social development." This has pointed to the new direction and put forward new requirements for further carrying out effective anti-epidemic work, especially on how to adhere to the policy of "dynamic zero-COVID with scientific and targeted measures and, and proactively coordinate the relationship between anti-epidemic work and economic and social development. 



Coordinating the relationship between anti-epidemic work and economic and social development is China’s important experience in coping with the pandemic

Coordinating the relationship between anti-epidemic work and economic and social development is the key to the success of China's fight against the pandemic in the past two years. It is also an important experience that conforms to China's reality and has proven to be effective in practice. Objectively speaking, the spread of the pandemic will not only harm the people's health, but also have a huge impact on sustainable economic and social development, affecting or even interrupting the normal work and life of the people. At present and for a long time to come, China's economy and society will face the goal and task of achieving high-quality development, which inherently includes both secure and sustainable development. Therefore, in the face of the impact of the pandemic, we must always adhere to the idea of putting the people and their health first, stick to the policy of dynamic zero-COVID with scientific and targeted measures, and persist in coordinating the relationship between anti-epidemic work and economic and social development. We should neither apply a “one-size-fits-all” approach, nor take the so-called "lying-flat" or "living-with-the-virus" stance. Instead, we need take timely measures to quickly block the transmission chains and achieve zero infection in society through the proactive implementation of the effective means of "dynamic zero-COVID". 

Over the past two years, China has effectively controlled the spread of the pandemic at the community level across the country, achieving an important victory in the fight against the pandemic. This has created favorable conditions for China to take the lead in resuming work and production in the world. The Chinese economy has also benefited in achieving stable recovery and becoming the first to register positive growth in the world. Moreover, the stable recovery and growth of the Chinese economy has provided important confidence and strength for the rest of the world to win the fight against the pandemic and realize economic recovery and growth.

Although anti-epidemic measures taken to control the pandemic may have affected the normal production and life in some regions and industries and for some people in the short term, the impact of anti-epdiemic policies as localized dynamic adjustment on economic and social development is nevertheless basically controllable and minimizable, which conforms to the basic requirements and principles of coordinating the relationship between anti-epidemic work and economic and social development. That is why, on the premise of effective epdiemic prevention and control, China's GDP in 2021 grew by 8.1% over the previous year, with an average growth rate of 5.5% in two years, leading the major economies of the world. Against the background of the global pandemic, China's goods export and import volume exceeded US $6 trillion for the first time last year, reaching a record high. China has now become the most stable link of the global supply chain. Facts and experience have proven that epidemic prevention and control is the premise of economic growth and social stability, while scientific and targeted measures and "dynamic zero-COVID" are the key to realizing active and effective prevention and control. Ensuring and promoting sustained economic growth and stable long-term social development is the fundamental goal of epidemic prevention and control, and it is also the criterion for measuring the ultimate success of epidemic prevention and control. 



Adhering to the "dynamic zero-COVID" policy: An effective measure to better coordinate the relationship between anti-epidemic work and development prevention

Since the beginning of this year, repeated COVID outbreaks have struck some areas in China and spread regionally. This, along with the rapid mutation of the novel coronavirus and other factors, has put forward higher requirements and brought bigger challenges for coordinating the relationship between anti-epidemic work and social and economic development. This requires us to adhere to the general policy of "dynamic zero-COVID with scientific and targeted measures", and better coordinate the relationship between anti-epidemic work and development needs. 

Firstly, the new variant strains of the novel coronavirus, especially Omicron, are stealthier and more contagious, thus posing a bigger challenge to early detection and isolation. In particular, many infected people show no apparent symptoms, making timely detection difficult. Secondly, with the deepening of scientific and targeted epidemic prevention and control, the people also have higher expectations on how to minimize the impact of epidemic prevention and control on their daily work and life. Thirdly, the expectation of stable growth requires all sectors of society to minimize the impact of the pandemic on economic and social development. Therefore, any effort to better coordinate the relationship between anti-epidemic work and development needs will naturally require the implementation of the policy of "dynamic zero-COVID with scientific and targeted measures" under the premise of "always putting the people and their health first". The author believes that this should at least include the following connotations and requirements: 

First, we need to constantly practice the people-centered development principle, adhere to the idea of "putting the people first and their health first", stick to the general policy of "dynamic zero-COVID", proactively and effectively coordinate the relationship between anti-epidemic work and economic and social development, strive to achieve the maximum prevention and control effect at the least cost, and minimize the impact of the pandemic on economic and social development.

Second, we need to form dynamic, localized and targeted preventive measures through the realization of "dynamic zero-COVID", so as to maximally protect the lives, health and safety of the people. We need to constantly keep high vigilance, do our best to find and eliminate cases one by one, and quickly block the epidemic transmission chains, so that each outbreak can be terminated in time, that there are no infected people in society and that the risk of community transmission of the pandemic is brought under effective control. 

Third, the "dynamic zero-COVID" policy requires the leveraging of scientific and targeted epidemic prevention, so as to achieve effective control. We need to consider the characteristics of new COVID mutant strains, comprehensively utilize scientific and technological means, take more proactive and effective measures, improve the pertinence, scientificity and accuracy of epidemic prevention, and achieve effective and efficient control. Only in this way can we truly achieve the most effective prevention and control at the least cost and minimize the impact of the pandemic on economic and social development and people's work and life. 

Fourth, adhering to the "dynamic zero-COVID" policy is not to pursue zero infection in absolute terms, nor is it an arbitrary and “one-size-fits-all” operation. Rather, the policy is to keep pace with the times, develop innovative and creative solutions based on the development and changes of the pandemic situation and actual needs, and strive to achieve the goal of the lowest infection and mortality rates and the least interference in economic and social development. 



Source: Wenhui Daily

Author: Quan Heng, Party secretary and research professor, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences