A medic performs a nucleic acid test on a courier in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/taizhou.com.cn]

Taizhou in East China's Zhejiang province has in recent months been expanding its nucleic acid testing capacity as part of efforts to contain the COVID-19 epidemic.

The local government has set the goal of make testing sites accessible within a 15-minute drive in central urban areas and 30 minutes in counties or county-level cities.

To date, nearly 2,700 testing sites, permanent and temporary, have been set up across Taizhou.

People can locate the testing site nearest to them through Zheliban, a provincial administrative service platform, or through WeChat accounts backed by governments at county (district) levels.

Presently, residents in Taizhou must have a negative nucleic acid test result obtained within 72 hours prior to entering public venues, taking public transportation and participating in gatherings, according to local prevention and control regulations.

Public venues refer to transport hubs, scenic spots, cinemas and internet cafes, while gatherings include exhibitions, conferences, performances, sports events, weddings and funerals.