BEIJING: Chinese lawmakers are mulling draft revisions to the country’s Frontier Health and Quarantine Law that would bolster emergency response measures against major outbreaks at the country’s ports. Experiences accumulated during the fight against COVID-19 have been incorporated, authorities said.
The draft law was submitted to a session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for first review on Monday. The session will run until Friday.
Revisions state that local customs, health and disease control authorities and research institutions should exchange surveillance information on contagious diseases. The General Administration of Customs should also promptly evaluate the risk of outbreaks spreading overseas and release early warnings.
According to Yu Jianhua, head of the administration, a whole new section dedicated to emergency response targeting acute outbreaks has been added to the draft. Specific statutes have incorporated effective approaches deployed to tackle COVID-19.
Emergency measures such as collecting medical samples of inbound passengers and putting them under medical observation, designating ports for receiving inbound and outbound travelers and shipments, shutting down ports temporarily or suspending some of their functions, can be taken. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
