directly under the Central Government, and cities under separate state planning, and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps:
For the purpose of earnestly implementing the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee on making unrelenting, solid and meticulous efforts in regular COVID-19 prevention and control work, comprehensively advancing epidemic prevention and control while pursuing economic and social development, fully implementing the overall prevention and control strategy of “preventing the coronavirus from re-entering the country to cause a new epidemic”, standardizing the regular COVID-19 prevention and control of exhibition activities, and promoting the resumption of exhibition activities in a safe and orderly manner, with the approval of the State Council’s Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism for the COVID-19 Outbreak, the opinions are hereby put forward as follows.
I. Guiding ideology
According to the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, the Regulations on Preparedness for and Response to Emergent Public Health Hazards and other rules and regulations, the policy of “Safety First, Prevention Foremost” shall be implemented, the regular COVID-19 prevention and control of exhibition activities shall be conducted in a scientific manner in accordance with the law, and the important role of the exhibition industry in expanding opening-up, increasing employment, stabilizing the fundamental of foreign trade and foreign investment, and stimulating consumption shall be fully exerted. Solid steps shall be taken to maintain stability in employment, financial operations, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment and expectations, and fully protect employment, people’s basic livelihood, market entities, food and energy security, industrial and supply chain stability, and operation of the grass-root communities. Moreover, efforts shall be made to overcome adverse impact caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, strengthen the exhibition industry’s capacity for prevention, control and response, and ensure that the exhibition activities are carried out in a scientific, reliable, safe and orderly manner under regular prevention and control, so as to drive the positive trending of economic and social development.
II. Basic principles
(1) Principle of territorial administration. Local people’s governments shall take charge of the epidemic prevention and control of exhibition activities held in their respective regions, strengthen organization and leadership, and adhere to joint prevention and control in accordance with the law and in a scientific way. The COVID-19 prevention and control of exhibition activities shall be organized and carried out in accordance with the regional classification standards and the epidemic prevention and control standards and requirements corresponding to the epidemic emergency response level of the host place.
(2) Principle of society-wide efforts in epidemic prevention and control. By adhering to the bottom-line thinking and firmly raising the awareness of society-wide efforts to contain the epidemic, all exhibition participants (including the venue operating entities, exhibition organizers, exhibitors, service providers, visitors, on-site staff, etc.) must make unremitting epidemic containment efforts, consciously implement prevention and control requirements, strictly perform duties of prevention and control, and ensure omni-directional, whole-process, and all-field prevention and control with full participation and comprehensive coverage, leaving nothing to chances.
(3) Principle of science and professionalism. The professional prevention and control requirements of the National Health Commission and disease control departments shall be strictly implemented. Under the guidance of National Health Commission and disease control departments, scientific and professional prevention and control shall be carried out; prevention and control plans and emergency plans shall be formulated to ensure that prevention and control are in place and disposed of in a timely manner, and information collection shall be complete and traceable.
(4) Principle of classification and categorization. According to the epidemic response level, and combined with the characteristics of exhibition activities and the local actual situation, classified and categorized management shall be implemented for exhibition participants from different regions within the city, within the province (region), across provinces (regions) and abroad, and areas with different levels of risk of low, medium and high levels. For holding large-scale foreign-related exhibitions, effective prevention and control shall be conducted and management responsibilities shall be implemented in accordance with the requirements of the state and local governments for the prevention and control of imported COVID-19 cases. Overseas exhibitors and visitors shall be encouraged to participate online, or entrust their branches, representative offices or partners in China to participate in offline exhibitions.
(5) Principle of dynamic adjustment. Considering the evolving epidemic situation and the changes in the response level of the epidemic in the region, local governments shall make reasonable and timely adjustment to the prevention and control measures of exhibition activities in light of local conditions in accordance with the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council and the overall requirements of the epidemic prevention and control of the region.
(6) Principle of controllable risk. In principle, no exhibitions will be held in medium-and high-risk areas. Under the premise of strict implementation of various prevention and control measures, necessary exhibition activities can be held in low-risk areas. For holding exhibition activities, it is necessary to make epidemic risk assessment, effectively control and prevent major risks, and formulate emergency response plans and organize drills to ensure that the risks of exhibition activities can be controlled as a whole.
III. Strictly implementing the prevention and control responsibility of the host place
(1) The people’s government of the host place shall implement the territorial responsibility. According to the principle of region-specific, multi-level targeted approach to epidemic prevention and control, and in accordance with the epidemic emergency response level of the place where the exhibition activities are held, the corresponding leading agencies for epidemic prevention and control at the provincial, prefectural, municipal, district and county levels shall respectively issue evaluation opinions on the necessity of holding the exhibition activities, the implemented prevention and control measures and the conditions for holding the exhibition. The relevant departments of commerce, public security, and health shall strengthen coordination and cooperation, enhance information communication, and complete the approval, filing, supervision and management of exhibition activities in accordance with the opinions and division of responsibilities issued by the leading agencies for epidemic prevention and control at all levels, guide all the entities involved to formulate and strictly implement various prevention and control measures.
(2) Urging the relevant entities of exhibition activities to fulfill their responsibility of epidemic prevention and control. In accordance with the principle of “whoever holds the activity shall be held responsible; whoever organizes the activity shall be held responsible”, the exhibition organizers (the sponsors and the undertakers, the same below) shall bear the primary responsibilities for epidemic prevention and control, preside over the formulation of targeted and operable epidemic prevention and control work plans and emergency response plans during the exhibition activities, and designate special personnel to take charge of epidemic prevention and control work.
The exhibition venue operating entities shall assume responsibilities for the on-site management of epidemic prevention and control of exhibition activities, and take charge of arrangement and allocation of the epidemic prevention and sterilization, ventilation and cleaning, on-site epidemic prevention and control equipment, relevant epidemic prevention materials and emergency disposal sites.
Other exhibition participants shall shoulder the joint prevention and control duties, and consciously accept the temperature monitoring, show health code, wear face masks properly, and take good self-protection in accordance with the requirements of epidemic prevention and control of exhibition activities. In case of suspected symptoms such as fever and cough at the scene, self-quarantine shall be immediately conducted and the disease control staff shall be informed in a timely manner.
(3) Encouraging innovative services for exhibitions. Local governments shall support and encourage the use of the Internet, big data and other means to hold exhibitions, such as online pre-registration, staggered visit, crowd limit, and real-name admission, so as to provide good services for exhibitors and visitors in terms of registration, security check, access control, self-help certificate collection, orderly admission, and precise connection.
(4) Strengthening training of staff on epidemic prevention. Local governments shall guide and urge the exhibition organizers, venue operating entities, and relevant service enterprises to conduct health screenings and checks on their staff in advance, carry out training on epidemic prevention knowledge, and strengthen the publicity of epidemic prevention and control information, so as to ensure the implementation of epidemic prevention measures.
(5) Ramping up the publicity of epidemic prevention and control. Local governments shall guide and support exhibition organizers to actively carry out the publicity of epidemic prevention and control during exhibition activities by means of diversified publicity online and offline, so as to ensure that all exhibition participants are aware of epidemic prevention and control requirements and actively cooperate with the work.
IV. Ensuring full implementation of the epidemic prevention and control responsibilities of exhibition organizers, venue operating entities, etc.
The exhibition organizers and venue operating entities shall, in light of the actual situation of the exhibition activities and the local conditions, make targeted service guarantee arrangements for on-site emergency medical treatment, personnel quarantine, fire safety, and epidemic prevention materials allocation; the “early detection, early reporting, early quarantine and early treatment” principles shall be fully implemented subject to the relevant regulations of the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council and the National Health Commission; and the “five must” requirements shall be strictly followed: information must be tested, identity must be recorded, body temperature must be measured, disinfection must be done, and emergency must be done.
(1) Prevention and control responsibilities of exhibition organizers
1. Informing the relevant personnel in advance of the safety protection requirements and health check procedures for participating in the exhibitions, check and register the health status information of the registered personnel, and carry out health screenings and checks for the participants, so as to ensure the traceability of personnel information.
2. Reasonably planning the circulation of personnel involved in the exhibitions as per the prevention and control requirements, and putting forward the flow control plans. The number of visitors shall be controlled as per the venue scale, control measures such as reservation, diversion and entry at staggered time in batches shall be carried out, and exhibitors shall be guided to maintain reasonable spacing.
3. Reasonably planning the site zoning and booth layout, with passageway width and booth spacing subject to the prevention and control requirements. The control of the on-site flow shall be strengthened, and personnel shall be guided to visit the exhibition, enter and leave the exhibition in an orderly manner.
4. Strengthening the guarantee of epidemic prevention materials, and making a good reserve of necessary epidemic prevention materials such as face masks and disinfection supplies before the exhibition.
5. Conducting health screenings and checks for all exhibition participants, and carrying out epidemic prevention and control publicity and training.
6. Launching and implementing the emergency response plan immediately in case of suspected cases of COVID-19.
7. Taking the initiative to cooperate with the relevant management departments of the places where the exhibitions are held, and conscientiously implementing various epidemic prevention and control requirements.
(2) Prevention and control responsibilities of exhibition venue operating entities
8. According to the scale of exhibition activities, exhibition venue shall be clearly divided into functional zones, such as drop-off zone, temperature monitoring zone, security inspection zone, check-in zone, exhibition zone, etc., and guidance for the visit route shall be provided, so as to effectively control the flow of people and the spacing between people.
9. The venue operating entities shall allocate necessary equipment for access control, security check and temperature monitoring, set up a temporary quarantine area, and supply appropriate amount of emergency epidemic prevention materials.
10. Health records of on-site staff shall be established and daily health monitoring shall be completed. Staff shall wear face masks and have their temperature monitored for admission.
11. Before the exhibition activities are held, the venue operating entities shall conduct a comprehensive inspection, cleaning and disinfection of the venue and equipment, especially the air conditioning and ventilation systems.
During the period of exhibition arrangement, holding and removal, the ventilation of the exhibition halls shall be strengthened, the cleaning and disinfection of public areas and high-touch point locations shall be conducted regularly at high frequency every day, and the disinfection information shall be updated and publicized in the relevant areas.
12. The venue operating entities shall assist the exhibition organizers in the on-site epidemic prevention and control, such as health screenings and checks for participants, safety inspection, order maintenance, on-site inspection, flow control, and emergency disposal.
13. The publicity of epidemic prevention and control knowledge shall be strengthened by means of posters, radio, short messages, electronic screens and promotional videos, to advocate good hygiene habits, enhance health protection awareness, and create a good atmosphere for civilized participation and visit.
(3) Joint prevention and control responsibility of service providers and exhibitors
14. Conducting health screenings and checks for their respective staff in advance and reporting truthfully to the exhibition organizers as required.
15. Taking charge of the daily disinfection and personnel protection of their respective booths and service areas.
16. Taking active self-quarantine and timely informing the exhibition organizers in case their staff have a fever, cough and other suspected symptoms, and cooperating with the early screening and check and other work.
(IV) Catering management and control measures
17. Catering providers must have legal business qualifications, make effective hygiene protection of service personnel, and carry out work in strict accordance with the provisions of national food safety-related laws, regulations and relevant prevention and control measures.
18. A special dining area shall be set up, and meals shall be taken at a safe distance.
19. The sanitary management of the dining area shall be strengthened and epidemic prevention and disinfection shall be conducted on a regular basis.
(V) Waste disposal and control measures
20. The closed and classified management of waste shall be intensified, with timely collection and transportation, so as to ensure that waste is disposed of on a daily basis.
21. A “used mask bin” shall be set up and marked in the exhibition venue. Specially-assigned personnel shall be arranged to collect, centralize and disinfect the used masks in time every day, and dispose of them as per the standard for toxic and harmful waste.

Local governments shall, in accordance with the Guiding Opinions and combined with the actual situation of local epidemic prevention and control work, guide the relevant entities involved in the exhibitions to further detail, optimize, and improve various epidemic prevention and control measures, so as to ensure the effective implementation of epidemic prevention and control work of exhibition activities in detail.

Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Public Security, National Health Commission

July 3, 2020