COVID-19: The battle is not over yet

Zhang Ying, deputy director of Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has warned the people against letting their guard down in the fight against COVID-19 until no new case is confirmed in the country for 28 straight days.

"If people take it lightly and resume mass gatherings, the outbreak could rebound," said Zhang during an interview with CCTV on Monday, stressing that continuous observation for two maximum incubation periods of novel coronavirus, totaling 28 days, were essential before people start thinking about taking it easy.

Zhang Ying, deputy director of Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. /CCTV

Mass gatherings without protective measures could result in the rapid spread of the virus in a very short time, said Zhang, highlighting the difficulties in containing the spread of the virus.

It took 14 days for Tianjinto power through the peak of the outbreak to its current low level. The credit goes to the government's strict management measures and the joint efforts by the people.

"It is not a simple problem that can be measured in time. All segments of the society have to make contributions and sacrifices," she said.

Zhang also expressed her concern about gatherings at workplaces as enterprises slowly begin to reopen after an extended Spring Festival holiday. "I fear that if people think the epidemic is over, they will resume their gatherings and take things lightly. The outbreak could rebound this way."

In epidemiology, one can only give a green light after no new case is reported for two longest incubation periods of the virus, Zhang reiterated. For novel coronavirus whose longest latent period is 14 days, "we can be assured only when a region doesn't see any confirmed new cases after 28 straight days."