BEIJING — Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan on March 5 urged efforts at the community level in containing the COVID-19 epidemic and ensuring the supply of people's daily necessities.

Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is leading a central government team that is guiding the epidemic control work in Central China's Hubei province, the center of the outbreak.

While visiting local communities in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei, Sun stressed that the tasks of epidemic prevention and control in Hubei and Wuhan remain arduous, calling for continuous efforts in joint prevention and control, as well as in fortifying a community defense by mass participation.

Sun called for efforts to ensure the supplies of living materials for the residents and strengthened assistance to the disabled, the elderly and other vulnerable groups, after learning about the supply of vegetables, infant products and drugs for chronic diseases.

In response to the difficulties and problems raised by the residents on the spot, Sun required in-depth investigations to address the issues.

A conference held by the leading group in the afternoon stressed the provision of psychological counseling for community residents.