How to deal with the new mutant strain Omi Keron? Expert: Vaccination is still an effective method
People's Daily Online, Beijing, December 1 (Zhou Jing, Ding Yixin, intern Liu Mingxi) The World Health Organization recently held a special evaluation meeting for the Omicron strain of the new coronavirus that has recently emerged in some countries and listed it as Variant strains that "need attention" require countries to strengthen monitoring and sequencing.
Why does Omi Keron "need attention"?
On November 27, local time, the scientific research team of the Children's Hospital of Rome, Italy released the first picture of the Omi Keron strain.
The picture shows that compared to the 15 mutations of the Delta strain, the Omi Keron strain has more than 30 spike protein mutations on the surface alone. These mutations are diverse and most of them are located in the interaction with human cells. Area.
"The Omi Keron strain carries a large number of mutations, and it spreads very quickly." Xu Ke, a professor at the State Key Laboratory of Virology at Wuhan University, told reporters on the "Strong Observation" column of People's Daily Online that the new strain will be the first of its kind in other strains. Some variants are gathered together, and data shows that the new variant strain may cause up to 90% of the new cases in Gauteng, South Africa, and has spread throughout South Africa, indicating that Omi Keron has a certain infection advantage compared to other variants.
What does this virus mutation mean?
"Although there have been superimposed mutations, whether the new mutant strain has stronger infectivity and transmission ability requires further experimental verification." Xu Ke said that among the superimposed mutations in the new mutant strain, the amino acid polarity of the mutation is somewhat different. Different, the conclusions of previous research cannot be directly applied.
In order to prevent the spread of the Omi Keron strain of the new crown mutant virus, many countries and regions including the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and Japan have tightened their entry policies and upgraded their prevention and control measures.
Does China have to adjust its entry and isolation policies?
How should ordinary people respond?
On the 29th, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention responded to the hot issues of the Omi Keron mutant strain. The genome analysis of the mutant strain showed that its mutation site does not affect the sensitivity and specificity of mainstream nucleic acid detection reagents in my country.
The Institute of Viral Diseases of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has established a specific nucleic acid detection method for the Omi Keron mutant strain, and continues to carry out viral genome monitoring for possible imported cases.
According to WHO statistics, as of November 30, local time, the Omi Kiron strain had appeared in 19 countries and regions, but this strain accounted for a small percentage of the 839,119 viral gene sequence samples collected in the past 60 days. At 0.1%, there are only 159 copies, and Delta is still the main epidemic strain in the world.
"Although the Omi Keron strain carries a large number of mutations, it is still a new crown virus." Xu Ke reminds the public that there is no need to panic too much. As long as the epidemic prevention policy is strictly implemented and personal protection is done, the Omi Keron virus can still be effectively prevented and controlled. Strain.
Does the existing vaccine still work?
"All the vaccines that have been approved can greatly reduce the severe disease rate and mortality caused by the mutant strain. Vaccination is still an effective means to deal with Omi Keron." Xu Ke said that the injection of the vaccine allows our body to produce neutralizing antibodies. These neutralizing antibodies are "precision guided missiles" against foreign invaders.
Even if there are many mutations in Omi Keron, the basic function of mediating virus invasion remains unchanged. Some of these antibodies can always act on different mutant strains of new coronavirus.
The reporter noted before publishing that many domestic vaccine companies are paying close attention to the situation of this variant, and some have started new vaccine research and development.