In response to the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 , the Chinese government has initiated a rapid response.Almost all of China's provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions have launched a Level 1 response to this public health emergency since January 26, 2020.In China, a large number of residents live in rural communities (40.8% of the total population, ranking second in the world after India), the health of whom is closely linked to China's development.Therefore, national-level strategies targeted for rural areas have been issued along with community-based outbreak response tactics, which have been implemented across China since January 30, 2020 [1,2].In response to China's epidemic, region-specific and tiered measures for COVID-19 control have been adopted by localities at different risk levels since February 28, 2020 [3].This period was a crucial stage to stem the spread, and initial progress in containing the virus has been made.Thus, this viewpoint summarizes key national-level COVID-19 epidemic response strategies, specifically targeted for China's rural areas during this period, which may be useful for rural communities of other countries.China's government has emphasized the importance and urgency of COVID-19 prevention in rural areas [1].The outbreak happened before the Lunar New Year holiday, when millions of rural migrant workers return to their respective homes via public transportation (e.g., by planes, trains, and busses), which heightened the risk of transmissions.Considering the timing of the outbreak and the inadequate sanitation applied throughout rural communities, COVID-19 prevention in China's rural areas has become a priority.Mass gatherings were banned, including all New Year celebrations, and traffic connecting rural communities was restricted.Rural communities were empowered to prevent and control the epidemic.Both material and human resources have been channeled down to the community level with the aim to strengthen the capacity for prevention and control of COVID-19 in rural communities.Rural healthcare organizations and relevant personnel have played a great role in preventing the spread of COVID-19.Medical protective equipment and health personnel have been provided by the government to ensure sufficient supply for rural healthcare organizations.These organizations have taken the responsibility to cooperate with higher health authorities and conduct epidemic monitoring, medical screening, follow-up contacts, preexamination triage, and referrals.All information had to be reported daily.The personnel had been trained according to the national technical guidelines [4], with the aim to improve their competence toward preventing and controlling the spread of COVID-19, via measures such as identification, preliminary treatment, environmental disinfection, and protection.Strengthened prevention measures have targeted the most at-risk population, including returnees from high-risk regions, such as Hubei Province, and people who had been in contact with identified COVID-19 cases.They were either asked to quarantine themselves at home or were taken to special quarantine facilities, where they could be monitored for the onset of

Yaxin Zhu

Shenglin Zhao

Bo Qu

PLoS neglected tropical diseases

PLOS 被忽视的热带病发表的研究致力于被忽视的热带病（NTDS）的病理学、流行病学、预防、治疗和控制以及相关的公共政策。NTDS 被定义为一组促进贫困的慢性传染病，它主要发生在低收入和中等收入国家的农村地区和城市贫困地区。它们对儿童健康和发育、怀孕和工人生产力的影响，以及它们的污名化特征限制了经济稳定性。考虑到这些疾病的所有方面，包括：发病机制临床特征药理学和治疗诊断流行病学矢量生物学疫苗学和预防人口、生态和社会决定因素公共卫生和政策方面（包括成本效益分析）。

The journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases publishes research focused on the pathology, epidemiology, prevention, treatment, and control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), as well as related public policies. NTDs are defined as a group of chronic infectious diseases that contribute to poverty, primarily occurring in rural areas and urban slums of low- and middle-income countries. These diseases impact child health and development, pregnancy, and worker productivity, while their stigmatizing characteristics hinder economic stability. The journal addresses all aspects of these diseases, including: pathogenesis, clinical features, pharmacology and treatment, diagnosis, epidemiology, vector biology, vaccinology and prevention, population, ecological and social determinants, and public health and policy issues (including cost-effectiveness analysis).

《PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases》期刊发表的研究专注于被忽视的热带病（NTDs）的病理学、流行病学、预防、治疗和控制，以及相关的公共政策。NTDs 被定义为一组促进贫困的慢性传染病，主要发生在低收入和中等收入国家的农村和城市贫困地区。这些疾病对儿童健康和发育、孕妇及工人的生产力产生影响，同时其污名化特征也限制了经济的稳定性。期刊考虑到这些疾病的各个方面，包括：发病机制、临床特征、药理学与治疗、诊断、流行病学、媒介生物学、疫苗学与预防、人口、生态和社会决定因素，以及公共卫生和政策方面（包括成本效益分析）。

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases

China’s COVID-19 response for the protection of rural communities

This viewpoint summarizes key national-level COVID-19 epidemic response strategies, specifically targeted for China’s rural areas during this period, which may be useful for rural communities of other countries.

Category	Quartile
医学	2
医学, 热带医学	1
医学, 寄生虫学	2

China’s COVID-19 response for the protection of rural communities

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Journal Info

Category	Quartile
TROPICAL MEDICINE	1