The Shanghai municipal government on Jan 5 started distributing "New Year health packages" to the city's 8 million households to encourage more hygienic meal practices and reduce the risk of COVID-19 being spread through communal dining.

Included in these packages are sporks – a utensil that combines the spoon and a fork – that are meant to be used to serve communal dishes when dining at home, as well as a book by the Shanghai Center for Health Promotion containing information about healthy living.

Compiled by leading health experts, the book includes information about the prevention of several common infectious diseases and chronic ones through illustrations by Chen Haiyan, a doctor from Zhongshan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University. Besides the print version, the book is also available in digital and audio forms.

According to the municipal government, Shanghai has made significant progress in its public health management amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and the distribution of the sporks and books will further bolster the city's defence against the virus.

Li Junyao contributed to this story.