On March 2nd, in Beijing, the weather was getting warmer and spring was beginning to appear.
General Secretary Xi Jinping went to the Military Medical Research Institute and Tsinghua University School of Medicine to inspect the scientific research and diagnosis and treatment of new crown pneumonia.
At present, the rapid rise of the epidemic situation has been contained, and the situation of active prevention and control is expanding.
At this critical time, what signals did the General Secretary's investigation focus on scientific research?
Survival of disease requires "hard core" results
During the inspection, the General Secretary said, "Science and technology are the most powerful weapon for mankind to fight against disease. Humankind cannot overcome scientific disasters and technological innovations in order to overcome the disaster."
As a new infectious disease, our understanding of new coronary pneumonia is relatively preliminary. For example, where the source of the disease came from and where it is going is still unclear; as an effective means of prevention and treatment, the development of drugs and vaccines has not yet been finalized. If these fundamental problems are not resolved, the epidemic situation may still be repeated, even if the prevention and control is effective at present, or even come back at any time.
Race against time, against the devil. There are two fronts in the fight against the new crown pneumonia epidemic, one is the front line of epidemic prevention and control, and the other is scientific research and material production.
In the early stage, we worked hard on prevention and control, but in order to finally surrender the disease, we still need to produce "hard core" results in scientific research.
From the current clinical diagnosis and treatment work, it is urgent and top priority to do our best to save more patients' lives. The General Secretary stressed: "The key to improving the cure rate, reducing the mortality rate, and ultimately defeating the epidemic depends on technology."
Since the outbreak of the epidemic, the General Secretary has repeatedly stressed that victory over the disease cannot be achieved without the support of science and technology, and has called for accelerated research and development of therapeutic drugs and vaccines.
During the inspection, the General Secretary made it clearer: "Take the scientific research on the prevention and control of new crown pneumonia as a major and urgent task"; "At present, it will take hard work to win the People's War, the overall war, and the blockade of the epidemic prevention and control. In the face of this situation, the more we insist on asking answers and methods from science. "
Vaccines are critical for epidemic prevention and control
At the Military Medical Research Institute, the General Secretary focused on understanding the progress of vaccine and antibody development, drug screening, research on viral pathogenic mechanisms, and research and application of rapid detection reagents.
At the Tsinghua University School of Medicine, the General Secretary informed the experts in detail about the development of innovative drugs and the development and application of new testing reagents and testing equipment.
At the same time, I also heard the report of the Ministry of Science and Technology on national drug and vaccine research and development, and the National Health and Health Commission's summary of effective clinical application experience and effective diagnosis and treatment programs.
Vaccines, drugs, and testing reagents are all the most impressing in the prevention and control of the epidemic.
Detection reagents with shorter time, more accurate results, and simpler operation are beneficial to patients' early detection, early isolation, and early treatment. The effective drug is the buster of the virus, which can prevent mild to severe illness and reduce the mortality rate.
Especially at the moment, the virus may spread around the world. Some scientists at home and abroad have proposed that the possibility of long-term coexistence between the new crown virus and humans is not ruled out.
"Prevention is the most economical and effective health strategy."
Judging from the historical experience of humans in preventing and controlling viral infections, the ultimate victory over the epidemic cannot be achieved without vaccines.
During the inspection, the General Secretary emphasized: "As a special product for healthy people, vaccines are very important for epidemic prevention and control, and safety requirements are also the first."
For the development of vaccines, the General Secretary made clear requirements:
"Accelerate the establishment of an enterprise-based vaccine research and development and industrialization system that combines industry-university-research integration, establish a national vaccine reserve system, and make good preparations for possible normalized prevention and control."
Long-term strategy to build Jiu'an trend
Since the outbreak, Chinese researchers have done a lot of work, isolated a new type of coronavirus and found the pathogen in a short period of time, developed a nucleic acid detection kit, screened out clinically effective Chinese medicine and western medicine, and diagnosed and treated methods. Carrying out exchanges and cooperation has won valuable time for epidemic prevention and control worldwide, showing our efficiency and strength in scientific research.
At the same time, we must also see that scientific research is by no means a temporary achievement.
If the usual scientific research force layout is incomplete and the strategic reserve capacity is insufficient, if the key core technologies still have obvious shortcomings, if the epidemic prevention and control early-warning and forecasting mechanism is not perfect, if the emergency scientific research and command, action, and security systems are not complete, even Successfully responded to an epidemic. In the future, the risk of major infectious diseases will still hang overhead like a sharp sword.
Be prepared for the state.
This is why in this inspection, the General Secretary especially emphasized that “significant scientific and technological achievements in the fields of life safety and biosecurity are also the most important tool of the country”. Epidemic disease prevention and control and public health scientific research system and capacity building. "
You may notice that the term "system" was repeatedly emphasized by the General Secretary during the inspection--
"It is necessary to coordinate scientific research forces in all aspects to improve the ability and level of systematic confrontation";
"The epidemic prevention and control and public health emergency system is an important part of the national strategic system";
"Integrate national key scientific research systems in the fields of life sciences, biotechnology, medicine and health, and medical equipment."
This shows a long-term strategy and determination to build up Jiu'an.
In the face of such determination and planning, no matter how cunning and fierce the virus is, it will eventually be repelled.
Produced by: Zhao Cheng
Planning: Huo Xiaoguang
Producer: Che Yuming
Text: Dong Ruifeng, Zhu Jizhen
Photography: Ju Peng, Ding Haitao, Yan Yan, Liu Bin
Vision: Wang Qiuyun