With a wave of cases of sick children, the authorities called on community health centers in the cities to extend the hours from Monday to Friday from one to three hours or establish additional service periods on weekends depending on their capacity.

The Commission insisted on the need for parents to attend these sites first before going to hospitals, where long queues and cross-infections are a possibility.

The National Health Commission reported that it will assign experienced medical professionals to the base facilities to provide pediatric services and train staff in key skills, such as emergency care, rapid identification of severe symptoms, and venipuncture, the process of inserting a needle into a child’s vein.

According to authorities, localities are also required to equip community facilities with thermometers, nebulizers, antibiotics, antivirals, as well as pediatric medications to relieve cough and phlegm.

China is facing an increase in respiratory diseases due to the circulation of different pathogens, such as influenza, Covid-19 disease and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

According to Wang Huaqing, chief immunization planning expert at the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza and rhinovirus are the most prevalent among young children aged 1 to 4 years; while those aged 5 to 14 years experience more influenza, mycoplasma pneumoniae and adenovirus.

The experts insisted on the need for vaccination in key and vulnerable populations to control diseases or decrease the incidence of symptoms.

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