At present, the overall national epidemic situation is developing rapidly, and the epidemic has spread to a wide range of areas. However, at the same time, the Omicron mutant strain has significant changes compared with the original strain and Delta and other mutant strains.
What are the characteristics of the Omicron variant?
How should we prevent and control scientifically?
What are the characteristics of the Omicron variant?
Reduced pathogenicity and virulence
Chang Zhaorui, a researcher at the Communication and Defense Department of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that international and domestic monitoring data have confirmed that the Omicron mutant strain and its evolutionary branches BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5 series, including BF.7, BQ. The pathogenicity and virulence of 1 and the recombinant XBB were obviously weakened compared with the original strain and the mutant strains such as Delta.
Low proportion of severe illness and death
Chang Zhaorui said that the proportion of severe illness and death caused by the Omicron mutant strain was significantly lower than that of the original strain and the concerned mutant strain. Intervention and other factors.
Strong immune escape ability
Li Tong, chief physician of the General Infection Department of Beijing You'an Hospital and a medical expert at Xiaotangshan Fangcang Hospital, once said that the main strain of the current epidemic in Beijing, the Amicron BF. Or people who have been infected with the new coronavirus in the past, although they have antibodies, may still be infected again.
The incubation period is short and the transmission speed is accelerated
Li Tong once said that the BF.7 mutant strain mainly causes upper respiratory tract infection, and the virus can be detoxified one day after infection, resulting in a rapid increase in the number of infected people.
Many people have mild symptoms after infection, which has brought "greater pressure" to epidemic prevention and control.
Some patients felt that they were just tired or caught a cold, so they didn't pay attention to it and continued to participate in social activities. When they tested positive, it had already triggered transmission.
More asymptomatic infections
Chen Zhihai, director and chief physician of the Infectious Disease Clinical Center of Beijing Ditan Hospital, said that the original strain, alpha strain and delta strain are very pathogenic, and a considerable proportion of patients, including young and old people, will have typical new coronary pneumonia pneumonia. However, the Omicron variant strain is different. There are more asymptomatic infections, and the incubation period of the onset patients is also shorter. The symptoms may appear 1 to 3 days after infection, and up to 5 days.
The cycle is about two weeks
Chen Zhihai noticed that it usually takes about two weeks for people infected with the Omicron mutant strain to test positive, show symptoms, improve and meet the discharge criteria, and the course of the disease will be longer for the elderly with underlying diseases.
Mainly cause upper respiratory tract infection
Li Tong once said that compared with the original strain, the BF.7 mutant strain is more manifested as fever, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, etc. A small number of people may have gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, and very few people may have Loss of taste and smell may occur.
There is no evidence yet that there will be sequelae after infection with the new crown
Professor Chong Yutian, a professor of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University and head of the Guangzhou Huangpu Fangcang Medical Team, said in an interview with the media, "Some patients with infectious diseases, after the recovery period, the function of certain organs has not functioned for a long time. It will be considered a sequela when it returns to normal.” For people infected with the new crown, some people’s clinical manifestations may last for a long time, such as loss of taste and smell, joint pain, memory loss, chest pain, cough, etc., some scholars put these It is called "long crown".
Chong Yutian believes that these cannot be classified as "sequelae of new coronary pneumonia". "At present, the academic circle has not confirmed that there are sequelae of new coronary pneumonia. At least there is no evidence that there are sequelae."
How to prevent and control?
About vaccinations
Professor Wang Xinyu, one of the members of the Department of Infectious Diseases Department of Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University, said that among people infected with the new crown, compared with young people, the elderly have a higher relative risk of severe illness, and studies from all over the world have suggested that full vaccination can reduce the risk of severe disease. Greatly reduce the probability of severe illness for vulnerable groups such as the elderly after infection.
Therefore, for eligible elderly people, completing the vaccination in time and receiving booster injections is currently the most cost-effective protection measure.
About nucleic acid testing
Professor Wang Xinyu said that the nucleic acid detection of the new coronavirus is an effective means to find positive infections, but it is not the only means.
Large-scale aggregation and detection of nucleic acids requires very high capabilities in all aspects.
Judging from the epidemic prevention measures in many places around the world, it is also effective to find positive infections through the method of nucleic acid detection combined with antigen self-test, and it can save a lot of resources. It may be worth learning.
About symptoms
Lu Lianhe, director of the Hospital Infection Management Department and chief physician of Beijing Ditan Hospital, said that when symptoms such as dry throat and sore throat occur, it is necessary to consider whether there is a risk of infection.
Especially when there are cases in the community, a high degree of precaution should be taken, self-isolation at home, try to stay in the same room by yourself, and avoid contact with family members; the most important thing is still to wear a mask; after going to the bathroom, ventilate and disinfect; in addition , but also to detect and exclude.
Lu Lianhe suggested that when you go to a nucleic acid sampling point for testing, you must stay away from others, take good protection, and avoid transmission.
Zhang Wenhong's team:
the prospect of getting out of the epidemic is becoming clearer
On December 1, the team of Professor Zhang Wenhong of Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, issued an article stating that "the prospect of getting out of the epidemic is becoming clearer and clearer."
The text points out:
The dawn has once again ushered in the struggle between man and nature.
The final victory of mankind out of the epidemic this time will have the same great significance as mankind's victory over smallpox, influenza, and polio.
However, at present we have not completely won the final victory, because we always have something to worry about.
That is, no matter how weak the virus is, it will cause damage to vulnerable groups in the short term.
Widespread vaccination must be the most important component of building a herd immunity barrier.
In particular, the protection of vaccines for vulnerable groups will be the key to reducing medical runs and overcoming this epidemic.
We hope to get out of the epidemic, and we hope that vulnerable groups such as the elderly and young people will get out of the epidemic together. Only then can we truly win this victory.
Source: China News Network Comprehensive Xinhua News Agency, China Youth Daily, Beijing Youth Daily, China Business News, The Paper, etc.