The municipal government of Beijing has made it a top priority to
combat severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and has redoubled
efforts for the prevention and control of the epidemic.
The city government demands all taxi and bus drivers keep the
windows of the vehicles half open in normal weather conditions to
maintain good ventilation. After a day's work, they should
sterilize their vehicles with disinfectants designated by the
health department.
According to municipal communications committee, it is wise that
bus drivers and conductors wear gauze masks, and an enterprise will
be forced to suspend business operations once more than 10 percent
of its vehicles are found not properly sterilized.
The municipal commission of commerce also issued an emergency
notice urging the relevant departments to call off large-scale
commercial activities during the coming May Day holidays.
The notice requires managers of all shopping centers, stores,
markets, hotels and restaurants to maintain good ventilation in
these facilities to ensure indoor air quality. In addition, greater
efforts should be made to enhance the strict sterilization
system.
All the public facilities, particularly goods yards, toilets and
garbage cans must be sterilized timely.
The municipal education department has asked all schools, colleges
and universities to reduce mass activities.
The scheduled large-scale conferences should be replaced with
distribution of written materials. Mass gatherings for on-the-spot
consultations on the enrollment of senior middle schools and
universities should be conducted through radio, television,
telephone or Internet networks, while the scheduled sports meet of
Beijing students will be put off.
The city authorities require all schools and work units to put off
or cancel the planned study or sightseeing tours in other places,
and suggest proper readjustments in the curriculum to relieve the
burdens of students and increase extra-curricular activities, so as
to build up their resistance to diseases.
Presently, comprehensive sterilization work is being conducted in
all communities of the city. A big number of special personnel have
been appointed to take charge of the sterilization work in all the
public places.
(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2003)