Virus control should not hit logistics

The central authorities issued a notice urging all localities and departments to make all-out efforts to ensure the smooth operation of freight logistics, especially those for medical supplies for epidemic prevention and control, daily necessities, government reserve materials, postal express delivery, as well as energy, raw materials and other important production materials, to safeguard the normal order of people's life and social production.

Logistics and freight transport are linked to people's livelihoods on the one end and production on the other end, and their importance to the national economy is evident. The epidemic situation is complex, but production and people's lives must be affected to the minimum. How to ensure production and people's livelihoods while doing a good job in epidemic prevention and control is a must for government departments.

To curb the virus, some local governments have strengthened control measures on expressways, resulting in impeded traffic and logistics. Due to such disrupted logistics, merchants receive declining orders, consumers file more complaints for delayed receipt of goods, and logistics enterprises face increased risks of being fined for failing to deliver on time.

Under no circumstances should the epidemic be used as a pretext to escalate virus control measures in a way that it affects people's lives unnecessarily.

Freight logistics is an important support channel to ensure the normal circulation of social materials and plays an important role in economic and social development. Given the frequent occurrence of cluster cases in many places, how to ensure the smooth flow of freight logistics is itself an arduous task.

To remove bottlenecks in materials supply, the country must rely on targeted policies and measures. Local governments should set up inspection points on expressways in a standardized and scientific manner, and coordinate epidemic prevention and control with transportation support, to ensure smooth logistics across the country.