Facing the new wave of the novel coronavirus, Shanghai hospitals have required those seeking treatment to hold a negative nucleic acid test result. But what happens in an emergency?

That's the question asked at a news conference on Friday. Wu Qianyu from the municipal health commission had a clear, unambiguous answer: Those in a critical condition and needing immediate treatment must be treated. He said public hospitals across the city must keep the emergency department, fever clinic and other key departments open during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

It should be noted that the new measure about emergencies does not put other patients in any greater danger as hospitals are required to set up buffer zones where patients can be transported to, and arrange specific operating rooms for them.

He especially pointed out that hospitals cannot refuse to treat a patient with the excuse that they are "waiting for the nucleic acid test result".

That response has come in time. Shanghai is facing the difficult situations of fighting a new wave of the pandemic, but COVID-19 is not the only health threat for residents, there are pregnant women waiting to deliver newborns and people who suffer heart attacks and other kinds of health emergencies, all of which require immediate treatment.

It is right for hospitals to require a negative nucleic acid test report from patients, but it can take 24 hours to get such a report. The fact is that every minute may matter for someone in an emergency, even a delay of one hour or less might make the difference between life and death. Hospitals are meant to save lives and protect health.

Wu's response, which represents the attitude of the Shanghai municipal government, has addressed this issue. By identifying the patients needing emergency treatment and providing the care they need, the hospitals can better fulfill their duty to save lives.

At the same time, all possible efforts need to be taken to protect the doctors and nurses who treat the emergency patients, as they do so without knowing whether those they are treating are infected. They must also maintain their guard and take all possible precautions.