Local residents take nucleic acid tests in Shibei District, Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province on October 11. Photo: Xinhua

Six people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, with another six being asymptomatic. The initial situation showed that these infected cases were associated with the Qingdao Chest Hospital, which has set up areas to treat imported cases of COVID-19. But whether this hospital is the source of the infection is still uncertain.

The situation in Qingdao seems to be in the early stage of the spread of the epidemic. All the cases mentioned were found through physical examination and investigation, rather than through patients who had symptoms seeking medical treatment. But this inference is not conclusive.

Qingdao has taken the step to conduct comprehensive nucleic acid tests on all its residents. Several local outbreaks in China in the past months have been put out quickly. Qingdao should also be able to quickly stop the spread of the virus and end the epidemic in a short time.

From the perspective of the whole country, the epidemic situation in Qingdao can still be defined as local and sporadic, and should not have a large-scale impact on the country. The northern hemisphere is experiencing a ferocious second wave of epidemic. Many countries' daily new cases are close to or exceed previous records. However, epidemic control in China is generally very stable. 

New outbreak in Qingdao reminds the Chinese people to keep a high degree of vigilance against the severe situation of the epidemic in fall and winter this year. At the same time, it should not bring widespread public anxiety and weaken people's confidence in the effectiveness of national prevention and control system.

Across the world, COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control in China has the following characteristics: 

First, prevention and control system is very strong. The country coordinates collectively, and scientific prevention and control has become common practice.

Second, the standard of prevention and control is the highest. Every outbreak will be completely wiped out. There is a high consensus on the implementation of this high standard by the central government, local governments and the people. Therefore, the implementation of prevention and control measures is relatively smooth, and public cooperation is very high.

Third, the good situation has unleashed the economic social activities in the country, with many sectors returning to or being close to normal. This has inspired all walks of life and reinforced the perception that China's practices are in line with the country's reality, and are correct. 

Fourth, coupled with the fact that its vaccine research and development has been at the forefront of the world, China has formed comprehensive capabilities to prevent a large-scale rebound of the epidemic while maintaining the normal operations of the economy and social life. What the country needs to do is optimize the process of tamping down local new outbreaks, improve the accuracy of prevention and control, and further reduce costs.      

The COVID-19 epidemic will continue for a long time, probably for years. Preventing imported cases and local outbreaks will be a long-term task of China. It tests the efficiency of China's prevention and control system. Negligence is inevitable. The ability to track will determine China's anti-epidemic fight.  

We don't have to care too much about the outside world's short-term evaluation on China's anti-epidemic work. Facts speak louder than words. If China can go through this fall and winter smoothly without a large-scale epidemic rebound, and maintain positive economic growth, this will eventually alter people's understanding of the epidemic. China will be recorded in history as a good example of fighting the epidemic. 

China should do a good job in curbing the epidemic, create more room for economic prosperity, while providing support to the global pandemic fight. This is the route China should take. 

Qingdao's epidemic fight is part of the route. We hope the city could not only contain the epidemic as soon as possible, but also improve its anti-epidemic efficiency, and make progress in China's epidemic fight.