Patients receive treatment at the emergency clinic of the Beijing Chaoyang Hospital on Dec 27. WANG ZHUANGFEI/CHINA DAILY

Newly formed treatment systems have taken the lead in dealing with the disease.

After Beijing optimized its COVID-19 control measures early last month, authorities established a comprehensive medical treatment network and made full use of grassroots facilities to cope with the soaring number of cases.

"Thanks to the effective treatment networks, Beijing has passed its infection peak," said Yin Yong, Beijing's acting mayor, in an interview with China Media Group on Jan 9, about a month after the city lifted its strict control and prevention regulations.

Now, most residents have been infected with and recovered from the disease. Hospitals have played a critical role, while the city government, especially the health bureau, has introduced measures to combat the virus and save lives.

"Beijing has eased the medical pressure by expanding the number of fever clinics, optimizing emergency transfer and admission channels, enhancing cooperation between different levels of hospitals and redoubling efforts in the treatment of critical illness," said Li Ang, spokesman for the Beijing Health Commission, at a news conference on Jan 6.

After the control measures started being lifted on Dec 8, authorities ordered all community health centers to establish fever clinics so they could accommodate more patients.

The centers, whose major task used to be identifying positive cases, are now working to meet the medical needs of residents, especially providing services to key groups, such as seniors and people with underlying illnesses to help prevent them from developing into critical cases.

The growing number of patients saw health centers facing difficulties in terms of a shortage of staff members and a lack of medicines.

However, the situation improved after all the medication manufacturing plants in the city began working at full capacity. Nearby provinces also helped by delivering medicines to the capital.

By Dec 19, the number of fever clinics in Beijing had risen to 1,263 — 960 of them in communities — from the 94 that existed before the control measures were lifted, the commission said.

Cui Xueli, director of a health center in the Sanlitun area of Chaoyang district, said the number of residents visiting the center has fallen to a relatively normal level in the two weeks since the peak outbreak because people now understand that they don't need to visit if their symptoms are mild.

As a result, health centers can devote more time and energy to helping patients with urgent and serious needs.