In Zaozhuang city of Shandong province, some testing sites have been working as temporary fever clinics. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] 

East China's Shandong province is bracing for peaks of COVID-19 infections by adding critical-care beds and expanding the capacity of fever clinics ahead of the Chinese New Year travel rush in January.

At present, all secondary and above medical institutions, designated hospitals, township health centers and community service centers in the province have opened fever clinics (consulting rooms).

The number of medical institutions with fever clinics (consulting rooms) increased from 2,288 on Dec 7 to 3,429 on Dec 22, an increase of 49.87 percent. The number of fever clinics expanded from 3,206 to 13,420, an increase of 318.59 percent. It is expected that the province's maximum daily treatment capacity has exceeded 1.34 million.

The total number of beds in designated hospitals in the province increased from 17,373 on Dec 7 to 161,832 at present, an increase of 831.51 percent.

The Shandong Health Commission requires local hospitals to stockpile medicines and medical equipment, increase the capacity of intensive care units and expand the number of intensive care specialists through specialized trainings.

Shandong has also launched measures to upgrade nucleic acid sampling stations and booths to fever clinics and build a diagnosis and treatment medical service base that a resident can reach within 15 minutes.

Compared with those queuing up for hours at hospitals, people visiting roadside fever clinics can finish the whole medical process in about 10 minutes. They can use their health insurance to get fever and pain medications, which are in short supply at the moment across the country.