Zhang Wenhong: The faster the vaccine injection and the wider the coverage, it is possible to suppress the new coronavirus in the short term

　　China News Service, Shijiazhuang, January 17th. Zhang Wenhong, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, said on the 16th that at present, the risk of vaccine escape from virus mutation is extremely small. The faster the vaccine is injected and the wider the coverage, it may be in the short-term. Suppress the virus inside.

　　The New Coronary Pneumonia Prevention Forum, which was exclusively broadcast live by Baidu Health Medical Classic, was held online on the 16th, and Zhang Wenhong and other experts were invited to connect to talk about the outstanding concerns of the public under the new coronary pneumonia epidemic.

The forum explained and discussed issues such as whether the virus mutation will affect the effectiveness of the vaccine, whether the vaccine should be used, and when the vaccine can be vaccinated for all.

　　Zhang Wenhong said that the current virus mutation is extremely unlikely to cause the escape of the vaccine. The faster the vaccine is injected and the wider the coverage, it is possible to suppress the virus in the short term.

China may speed up vaccination and increase vaccination coverage to turn the new coronavirus into a "normalized" virus.

　　At present, the vaccinating age of the domestic new crown vaccine is 18 to 59 years old. Whether adolescents and elderly people beyond the age range can be vaccinated has also become the focus of public attention.

Zhang Wenhong said that according to the vaccine instructions and FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) regulations, people over 60 years of age can be vaccinated conditionally.

According to the domestic policy of phased vaccination and the current speed of vaccine advancement, it is believed that vaccination will soon be available for people over 60.

　　Faced with the topic of "how to avoid the risk of infection of asymptomatic infections" that people are more concerned about, the participating experts said that there is no need to worry about asymptomatic infections, but should be vigilant for timely detection and identification of symptomatic people.

People with symptoms should be screened in the fever clinic at the first time, and close contacts should be tracked to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

Therefore, it is the key to quickly find symptomatic infections and strengthen early warning screening for asymptomatic infections.

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