China News Agency, Beijing, February 9th, title: China implements "Class B and B management" for new crown infection Full moon expert: The national epidemic situation is becoming more and more stable
China News Agency reporter Li Chun
Since January 8, it has been a full month since China implemented the "Class B and B Control" for the new coronavirus infection.
What is the current national epidemic situation?
Has the emergence of new mutant strains been detected?
Can the current prevention and control strategies effectively deal with the possible next wave of epidemics?
At the press conference of the joint defense and joint control mechanism of the State Council of China held on the 9th, experts and officials in related fields responded to the above questions.
What is the effect of the full moon of the new crown "Class B and B tubes"?
"After the new crown virus infection has been adjusted from 'Class B A tube' to 'B category B tube', the optimized and adjusted prevention and control measures are still effective for timely detection and control of the epidemic." Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Since the implementation of the "Class B and B control" measures, the epidemic situation in China has become increasingly stable, and the transition of prevention and control work has been smooth and orderly.
At the same time, China canceled entry quarantine measures, the number of people entering and leaving the country has increased significantly, and personnel exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macau have also fully resumed.
In this context, have new variant imports been monitored?
Chen Cao, a researcher at the Institute of Viral Diseases of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that since January 1 this year, 39 evolutionary branches of the new coronavirus have been detected from entry personnel at various ports across the country, all of which are Omicron variants, with BA.5.2 and BF.7 and its sub-branches are the main ones.
"So far, the prevalence of new mutant strains with significantly increased transmissibility, pathogenicity, and immune escape capabilities has not been monitored."
Talking about the possible next wave of epidemics, Wu Zunyou pointed out that China has just experienced a nationwide epidemic of new crown virus infection, and the immune protection of the population across the country is at a relatively high level. A wave of COVID-19 is less likely.
"It is also less likely that there will be a large-scale epidemic similar to this one in the future."
The new coronavirus continues to mutate, what is the trend?
Wu Zunyou said that the new crown epidemic has been prevalent for three years, and the virus has continued to mutate, showing a trend of increasing infectivity and immune escape ability, but the pathogenicity is weakening.
Will the new coronavirus become more contagious and pathogenic in the future?
The expert said that at present, the possibility of more infectious mutant strains appearing in the future is very small; the possibility of increased pathogenicity, or the possibility of the virus "returning to its ancestors" to Delta virus or even the original strain is also very small. very small.
In addition, many places in China have recently announced the launch of new crown antibody testing.
Talking about its purpose and guiding significance, Chen Cao said that the purpose of antibody detection is to obtain the level of specific antibodies of all age groups, urban and rural populations, especially the level of neutralizing antibodies, so as to understand the "immune background" of the population and estimate the level of the whole population. The antibody level of the new coronavirus can be used to calculate the infection level of the population.
On the other hand, this serological investigation can also obtain cross-protection levels against different mutant strains and analyze immune persistence.
"Through this serological investigation, we can provide data support and scientific basis for the adjustment of the country's immunization strategy and prevention and control strategy." Chen Cao said.
How are you preparing for the first school season after the "Class B and B Management"?
Many places in China have recently released relevant arrangements for the start of the spring school, which is also the first school start season after the implementation of the "Class B and B Management".
Education departments at all levels have used the "window period" of the winter vacation to deploy a series of tasks to promote the smooth transition of school epidemic prevention and control.
Liu Peijun, deputy director of the Department of Physical Education, Health and Art Education of the Chinese Ministry of Education and a first-level inspector, said that since the end of last year, the Ministry of Education, together with relevant state departments, has formulated an overall plan for school epidemic prevention and control in accordance with the requirements of the "Class B and B Management" policy. , Promulgated operational guidelines for school epidemic prevention and control, and issued a number of plans for campus epidemic response, making policy preparations for the start of school this spring.
He also said that according to reports from various places in China, the start of primary and secondary schools this spring will be coordinated and arranged by the local education department, mainly around the Lantern Festival in early February to the 15th; Focus on around the Lantern Festival in early February to the end of February.
Liu Peijun pointed out that the current epidemic situation in China is generally stable, the school epidemic prevention and control policy has been clarified, and the preparations for the opening of schools in various places are basically in place. "Schools across the country can start on schedule, normally, and safely this spring."
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