The growing COVID-19 vaccination rate and health knowledge among the public, increasing availability of COVID-19 diagnostic and treatment tools and diminished virulence of the Omciron variant have together created favorable conditions for China to further upgrade its disease control policy, Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan said on Thursday.

During a meeting with eight grassroots disease control workers, Sun spoke of the need for enhancing triage systems at community medical centers, strengthening the grassroots disease control workforce and addressing demands of residents facing difficulties in basic livelihood and healthcare.

Local governments must also step up care for frontline workers, she added.