An interim review of lessons from the Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak in China

Since the spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), China has launched an unprecedented fight against the epidemic. At the beginning of the outbreak, China responded quickly by informing the World Health Organization (WHO) and sharing sequence information internationally soon after the draft genome of the virus was revealed by Chinese researchers. China’s effort in transparency, data sharing and quick response for controlling the outbreak was praised by the international community. Although the outbreak is not over yet, the important consideration for this and future outbreaks has aroused wide public discussion. This article is aimed to identify the lessons we could learn from the outbreak and propose suggestions for future improvement from aspects including improving the public health and disease control and prevention system, improving the emergency response mechanism, promoting technological innovation, and increasing medical supplies and reserves. An enhanced holistic system is in urgent need for disease control and prevention through strengthening the public health and disease control and prevention system, improving the emergency response system, building relevant legal system, and establishing a national biosafety system. Future outbreaks might be inevitable, but we can save more lives and avoid much financial loss by effective countermeasures when public health emergency happens.