Abstract
During the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, the lockdown of the densely-populated metropolis caused panic and disorderly behavior among its population. Community governance systems (CGSs) were mobilized to lead community engagement to address the challenges and issues brought about by the sudden quarantine measures, still unprecedented in any part of the world during that time. This commentary aims to describe and analyze the roles of the CGSs, its implementation of culturally-tailored strategies and the performance of new functions as called for by the outbreak. We will introduce the community governance structure which has two parallel administrative units of government including the branches of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The pandemic showed that the roles of the CGSs evolved and may continue to be improved in the future. It is important to engage the community and to have community-based approaches in addressing issues brought about by lockdowns. This community experience in Wuhan provides important lessons for the rest of the world.
Highlights
Wuhan is a crowded metropolis with a population of 14 million
The city has come to a halt during a metropolitan-wide quarantine on January 23, 2020 due to the spread of COVID-19
On 16 February, four grassroots government officials who were Communist Party of China (CPC) members were meted disciplinary actions for not being able to meet the standards of work during the containment period [2]. 580,000 CPC members from high-level government offices volunteered for the communities in Wuhan
Summary
Wuhan is a crowded metropolis with a population of 14 million. The city has come to a halt during a metropolitan-wide quarantine on January 23, 2020 due to the spread of COVID-19. * Correspondence: yc131@whu.edu.cn 2Wuhan University School of Health Sciences, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China Full list of author information is available at the end of the article population brought about unique emotional and other demands necessitating public service responses. The CGSs was tasked and given the responsibility to meet the various needs of the community, implement containment strategies, and play multiple roles in engaging with the local residents.
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