Recently, Professor Zhu Dajian from the Department of Public Administration was interviewed by a reporter from the Jiefang Daily, at which he discussed the general policy of “Dynamic Zero COVID-19” from the perspective of sustainable urban development and management.

Resilient urban development depends on two curves

Reporter: In response to Covid-19, China adheres to the general policy of “Dynamic Zero COVID-19”. What do you think of this policy from the perspective of sustainable urban development and management?

Zhu Dajian: In the research of sustainable urban development, a concept of “resilience” to deal with major risks has two extended connotations. One is how “susceptible” or immune a city is. A city, especially a megalopolis, is a complex system of multi-elements, multi-levels and multi-centers. This first connotation refers to whether a city has immunity and resistance in the face of major risks and emergencies. Major risks here include major public health risks such as infectious diseases. The other is how adaptable or resilient a city is. It refers to whether there is an emergency response mechanism to help a city reduce losses and return to normal as soon as possible after major events or risks occur.

When evaluating urban resilience from the perspective of sustainable development, we focus on two curves. One is the carrying capacity curve showing the threshold and baseline, including the carrying capacity of a city’s infrastructure, ecology, economy and society. The other is the impact curve showing how the risk develops. The point is to see if its peak is within the carrying capacity. If the risk is contained within the carrying capacity or can be repaired immediately after exceeding the carrying capacity, such development is resilient and sustainable.

As I understand it, “Dynamic Zero COVID-19” is a resilient policy of epidemic prevention based on “life first, people first”. Whether such policy is effectively implemented should depend on the principle of “people first, life first”. Moreover, how to balance the security and the development, how to accommodate multiple interests, and how to handle the relationship between lockdown and release are the key factors to the resilience of this COVID-19 response route with Chinese characteristics. In the previous two years of combating Covid-19, this policy has yielded good results. In the face of the new challenges brought by the mutant strain Omicron and the long-term battle in the future, how to better understand and implement the general policy of “Dynamic Zero COVID-19” is crucial.

Bring COVID-19 under control in less time and at less cost

Reporter: How to understand the “balance” and “reconciling” of “Dynamic Zero COVID-19” policy?

Zhu Dajian: The key to taking strict prevention and control measures against the ferocious outbreak of the epidemic lies in how to control COVID-19 in less time at less cost to reduce the negative impact of the epidemic. The cost here includes the impact of primary disasters and secondary disasters brought about by emergencies.

“Dynamic Zero COVID-19” cannot be simply understood as “zero case”; “dynamic” is a very important expression and definition. First of all, “Dynamic Zero COVID-19” requires rapid, scientific and precise control measures. Quick response should be given to each confirmed case. Secondly, strike a balance and avoid any extremes. “Dynamic Zero COVID-19” is neither absolute zero case nor total disregard. At present, there are some views that put lockdown in opposition to deregulation, and the COVID-19 response in opposition to people’s livelihood and economic development. This is an extreme.

On the other hand, in terms of timeline, “Dynamic Zero COVID-19” also means judgment and implementation that keep pace with the times. If the battle against COVID-19 is a “war” against the virus, it is necessary to adjust and innovate according to the enemy’s situation, and be realistic and down-to-earth under the ultimate goal of “life first, people first”. The fight against COVID-19 may be quite a long struggle. In the future, in the face of new situations such as virus mutation, how to prepare multiple solutions and make timely adjustments under the safety bottom-line thinking of “Dynamic Zero COVID-19” needs to be tested and improved in practice.

New requirements for the 15-minute community life circle

Reporter: As a Shanghai citizen, how do you think about the fight against COVID-19 as far as your daily life is concerned?

Zhu Dajian: I have stayed indoors since April 1. I have plotted the number of infected persons in Shanghai since March 1, and have been studying how the exponential growth moves out of the “inverted U” shape. This outbreak has posed an unprecedented challenge and test to Shanghai’s capacity for urban development and governance. I understand the pressure and hard work of frontliners, and I myself have had anxiety about daily food and drug guarantee.

After studying the sustainable urban development and the current epidemic situation, I find that Shanghai should improve its governance capacity, market-oriented and commercial services in the process of urban development. For example, with regard to the 15-minute community life circle to be built in Shanghai: First, there must be 15-minute nucleic acid testing sites in the community, which can minimize the risk of clusters of infection; Second, we should build 15-minute community stores selling vegetables and daily food, which will play a role in ensuring the supply of the community; Third, the community doctor service system established should solve the problems of drug dispensing and medical treatment within the community in emergencies.

Crisis response tests the ability of governance. In the implementation of the general policy of “Dynamic Zero COVID-19”, the COVID-19 response is not only the responsibility of the public health and medical sectors; instead, it requires a concerted effort from the city’s key departments at key links, and overall planning and coordination across specialized comprehensive departments, thus resolving possible secondary problems from the source, and further improving the city’s immunity and resilience to deal with sudden public disasters.

Reporter: Peng Deqian

Source: Jiefang Daily, April 26, 2022