Wu said that in prevention and control work to combat the epidemic, a community is usually divided into smaller grids, which can each be managed by a team consisting of community officials, inspectors, medical workers and volunteers.

"Every person in the management team has specific tasks, including checking residents' identities, health monitoring, carrying out closed-loop management of those from areas with high risks of infection and environmental disinfection," he said.

A precise lockdown of a particular community according to the severity of the situation there can help reduce the negative impact on the area's social and economic development to some extent, Wu said.

"When there are scattered cases or outbreaks in clusters, closed management is required down to the specific street to prevent the situation from getting worse," he said.

"When there are no more new cases reported for 14 days, the community can be reopened after the situation is analyzed."

Wu said community management is still a new concept and requires tailored measures that take account of different situations.

"Cities are different from one another, and so are communities," he said.

"It can be implemented properly with richer experience and practice. It also needs better social governance capabilities as there is great demand for daily supplies, psychological counseling and medical services for seniors with chronic diseases once a community is put under closed management."