A series of resolute measures have been taken by governments of different areas of China in a bid to prevent the SARS virus spreading.
In the eastern Zhejiang Province, the provincial government required everyone to take their temperature and fill a health declaration form before entering the province.
Any SARS patients or suspected SARS carriers identified on aircraft, trains and ships would be sent to the designated hospitals. Those who had close contact with SARS patients or suspected SARS carriers would be quarantined and reported to the local disease prevention and control organization.
In central China's Hubei Province, the provincial government released a notice, promising the government would pay the medical charges for SARS patients. A special fund has been established to help farmers and urban citizens without medical insurance.
Liu Guixiang, vice-mayor of Anshan city in northeast China's Liaoning Province, also pledged that impoverished residents who contracted SARS could receive free medical treatment. Special staff have been dispatched to every neighborhood committee in the city to educate communities on SARS prevention and to ascertain the situations of people living below the official subsistence level.
In north China's Hebei Province, the government's main task is ensuring the health and safety of medical staff. Preventative treatments have been allocated to medical staff and hospitals havetaken strict ventilation, disinfection and quarantine measures.
In northwest China's Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region, SARS prevention knowledge has been instilled in every student to ensureschools remain free of the virus.
In addition, the autonomous regional government has canceled the May Day holiday for students in primary and middle schools as well as universities and the regular curriculum is continuing.
In east China's Jiangsu Province, a special fund for fighting SARS has been established. As much as 200 million yuan will be mainly used for buying necessary medical equipment and allocating subsidies to medical staff.
Free on-line courses for all of China's middle school students have been jointly offered by www.ncet.edu.cn and www.jinghua.net. All the on-line courses are taught by senior teachers and in accordance with the general outlines promulgated by the Ministry of Education. Students can take the on-line courses for free from Apr. 18.
(Xinhua News Agency April 28, 2003)
