key: cord-346318-d8oq3dyw
authors: Fang, Yeqing; Deng, Qiwen; Yu, Zhijian; Wang, Hongyan; Zhang, Songrong
title: Reply: Practical experiences on the prevention and treatment strategies to fight against COVID-19 in hospital
date: 2020-05-05
journal: QJM
DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcaa158
sha: 
doc_id: 346318
cord_uid: d8oq3dyw

nan

We appreciate the concerns and comments from Dr Jianhui Peng et al. regarding our recent article, Shenzhen' Experience on Containing 2019 Novel Coronavirus-Infected Pneumonia Transmission [1] , which was published on April 3, 2020. We read their letter describing their recent experience with interest.

As we know that the COVID-19 has spread all over the world. On March 19, 2020, when many countries in the world, especially U.S. were hobbled by the epidemic, the number of new patients in Hubei Province, China approached zero [2] . As a doctor, I am deeply concerned with the world outbreak. The author of the letter described their treatment strategies to contain the epidemic and improve clinical outcomes: increase the medics' protective gear to ensure double-zero infection: no nosocomial infection, no developed into critical or death case; timely control and regulate the inpatient area by adopting the AI and infection control observing system; "Two early, three changes and three strictness"; early use of traditional Chinese medicine according to characteristics of different persons, etc.

As for the world pandemic, I believe these measures are crucial：First, all countries should enhance the COVID-19 detectability, give timely diagnosis and treatment to positive patients and build the Fangcang shelter hospitals or temporary hospitals to treat patients with mild symptoms [3] .

Second, increase the stockpile of protective supplies, and guarantee the protection of medical workers. Standard personal protective equipment should be applied in special high-risk posts to avoid infection of medical staff. Next, during the outbreak, hospitals need to redeploy the working arrangement of healthcare workers, suspend or close non-emergency departments and selective operations to add staff to supplementary emergency, fever clinic and infection wards, so that there are sufficient medical workers to respond to the increasing coronavirus patients efficiently. Last but not least, recommend patients using internet hospitals by seeing a doctor online, to reduce the crowds in the hospital and avoid nosocomial infection.

Shenzhen' experience on containing 2019 novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia transmission

hospitals: a novel concept for responding to public health emergencies

In a word, timely and rapid diagnosis and treatment of patients, interrupting the infection source, as well as immediate testing, isolation and contact tracing are crucial measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. We will definitely win this battle with concerted efforts, scientific containment and targeted policies.