Advice, assistance

Patients with mild symptoms or asymptomatic carriers are being advised to stay home to recover. If their health worsens, they can visit nearby community health centers.

People with serious symptoms and those with existing health conditions must be transferred to higher-level hospitals.

Meanwhile, Beijing has taken full advantage of online diagnosis and other information technology. Statistics from the health commission show that by last month, 44 internet hospitals and 167 regular facilities were offering online diagnoses.

The health commission has stated that public hospitals should offer online medical treatment at the same cost as on-site services, with the outlay covered by the medical insurance system.

Medication can be delivered to patients by third-party units after approval by a pharmacist.

The commission has also issued guidelines on home recovery and community health management, and provided manuals about rehabilitation at home.

The information was released in a timely fashion to serve people's needs during the outbreak's peak.

All districts have released contact details for family doctors and identified the areas they oversee so people with a fever or cough can have consultations with medical professionals, who will offer advice according to the person's symptoms.

Seniors with mobility problems are being offered a door-to-door diagnosis service or assistance in transferring to higher-level hospitals, based on health evaluations by medical advisers.

The measures are providing ample cover for the city's residents.

For example, early this month, an 83-year-old woman surnamed Zhang was treated for COVID-19 at a community hospital in Chaoyang.

The medical network ensured that she received rapid treatment after doctors held an online meeting with experts at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital — the top-level facility in their network — to discuss her condition. After several days of treatment, Zhang's health improved.

Experts also visited the community hospital to provide diagnostic advice.

Bai Yongtao, director of the community hospital, said the network with different grade-based hospitals has made it possible to use the major facilities' resources to serve more people effectively.

Wang Songsong contributed to this story.

Contact the writer at dujuan@chinadaily.com.cn