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The draft revision to the Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases has been presented to the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature, for review on Friday. The draft plans to improve the country's epidemic reporting system including establishing an incentive and exemption mechanism, and prohibiting interference, according to media reports on Friday.

In terms of the main revisions, the draft clearly plans to clarify the reporting time limit and methods, implementing direct online reporting, and ensure that reporting channels for inspection, testing institutions and the public are streamlined. It plans to establish reporting incentives and exemption mechanisms, while prohibiting intervention in reporting.

Units and individuals that discover and report new infectious diseases or emerging infectious diseases of unknown cause in accordance with law shall be eligible for rewards. When an epidemic situation of infectious diseases is ruled out through investigation, the reporting unit or individual shall not bear legal responsibility, according to the draft revision.

The draft revision aims to further improve the legal system for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, safeguard public safety and health, according to Yang Heqing, a spokesperson from the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, at a press briefing on Thursday. 

The main content of the draft revision includes improving the institutional mechanisms for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, and improving the emergency response system and coordinating epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development, as well as completing the system for epidemic treatment and strengthening safeguard measures, according to Yang.

China's top legislature began its sixth session on Friday to review multiple draft laws and legislative revisions. The sixth session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee will be held from Friday to October 24.

The session's agenda includes reviewing draft revisions to the Marine Environment Protection Law and Charity Law, a draft law on patriotic education, and a draft law on food security. Lawmakers will also review bills on draft revisions to the State Council Organic Law, the Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, and the Cultural Relics Protection Law.

Global Times