Medical demands of residents amid a COVID-19 outbreak must be answered and handled properly, and turning away patients due to virus control reasons is strictly prohibited, a senior health official said on Saturday.

Lei Haichao, vice minister of the National Health Commission, said during a news briefing communities hit by the virus should set up an emergency protocol aimed at ensuring delivery of regular medical services, such as obtaining a full account of the elderly, pregnant women and patients on dialysis, as well as making special arrangements for them by designating hospitals to receive COVID-risk groups and setting up green channels for their hospital visits.

For medical facilities affected by COVID-19 infections, Lei said necessary precautionary measures, such as disinfecting places where infected cases had visited, should be implemented, but hospitals should not be closed for prolonged periods.

"Once disinfection work is completed and the COVID-19 risk is deemed under control, normal operation of medical institutions should be resumed immediately," he said.

As part of preparedness measures for a sudden outbreak, Lei also urged community officials to conduct comprehensive examinations of healthcare demands of the elderly, pregnant women, patients on regular chemotherapy or dialysis as well as those suffering chronic illness and requiring regular medication beforehand.

In addition, he stressed strengthening emergency medical care resources. "First aid cars should be dispatched quickly and we must not turn away patients for any reason," he said.

He added workers at centralized quarantine facilities should also promptly familiarize themselves with the health conditions and preexisting illnesses of those put in isolation and monitor them carefully.