Beijing released new measures on Thursday to ensure certain groups continue to enjoy smooth hospital services, according to a notice published on the official account of the Beijing Municipal Health Commission.

The measures are taken to make life easier for certain groups, including the homebound elderly, students taking online classes, babies and those working from home. These people have been exempted from mass screening for COVID-19 epidemic control if they have no need to go out since Wednesday.

Medical service providers at all levels in Beijing shall not reject patients who don't have negative results of nucleic acid tests taken within 48 hours. Medical service providers will give patients COVID-19 antigen tests at triage and direct patients according to the results.

For babies younger than three, tests are only given to their attendants, while the babies can be exempted.

For emergency and critical patients who have no nucleic acid tests from within 48 hours, medical service providers shall not refuse or delay treatment.