(Fighting against New Coronary Pneumonia) Epidemic data in three places attracts attention and is sure to strengthen immunization safety sequentially

  China News Agency, Beijing, February 19 (Reporter Li Chun) According to the epidemic information reported by the National Health Commission of China on February 19, there were 137 new confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in mainland China on the 18th, including 80 local cases.

Based on this, a reporter from China News Agency found that the epidemic data in three places are worthy of attention.

  The first is Baise, Guangxi.

At the press conference on the prevention and control of the new crown pneumonia epidemic in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region held on the 19th, Zhou Fusheng, member of the Standing Committee of the Baise Municipal Party Committee and deputy mayor of the Municipal People's Government, said that up to now, Baise City has achieved zero new community infections and nosocomial infections for two consecutive days. Zero occurrence, zero addition of close and sub-close contacts.

  Zhou Fusheng also said that that morning, seven more confirmed cases in Baise City were cured and discharged, and the number of people cured and discharged from the current round of the epidemic has reached 37.

At the press conference of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council held on the same day, Wu Liangyou, deputy director of the National Health Commission's Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention, also pointed out that the epidemic in Baise, Guangxi is in the final stage of clearing.

  The second place is Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.

Data show that of the 46 new local cases in Inner Mongolia on February 18, 42 were from Hohhot.

According to a press conference held by the Hohhot Epidemic Prevention and Control Work Headquarters on the 19th, from 14:00 on the 18th to 14:00 on the 19th, Hohhot reported 49 new local confirmed cases.

  Wu Liangyou said that the gene sequencing result of the epidemic in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, is a delta variant, which is a local epidemic caused by a new source of overseas import, and has spread to Baotou City, Inner Mongolia.

At present, the epidemic is in an early stage, the number of cases is growing rapidly, and there are clusters of epidemics in places with dense crowds such as work units and wedding banquets, and there is a high risk of community transmission and spillover.

  The third place is Suzhou.

The 19 new local cases in Jiangsu Province on the 18th were all in Suzhou.

In addition, according to the announcement of the Suzhou New Coronary Pneumonia Epidemic Prevention and Control Conference, from 0:00 to 15:00 on the 19th, Suzhou added 14 new local confirmed cases.

As of 15:00 that day, a total of 79 confirmed cases have been reported in Suzhou in this round of epidemic.

  Regarding the current situation of the Suzhou epidemic, Wu Liangyou pointed out that the gene sequencing results showed that it was a variant of Omicron, which was also a local epidemic caused by a new overseas import source, and is still in the stage of rapid development.

  The Omicron variant has become the main variant that is prevalent in the world.

Since its first appearance in South Africa in November 2021, more than 100 countries around the world have found cases of Omicron infection.

Since January this year, local clustered outbreaks caused by the Omicron variant have also occurred in Tianjin, Anyang, Henan, Baise, Guangxi and other places.

  What are the characteristics of the pathogenesis of the Omicron variant?

Guo Yanhong, Inspector of the Medical Administration and Hospital Administration Bureau of the National Health and Medical Commission, said that epidemiological analysis of existing cases showed that the average generation interval between Omicron infection cases was 3 days, which was further than the 4 days of the delta variant. Shortened, its transmission ability is about twice that of the delta variant.

"The Ormicron variant is more likely to cause human infection and human-to-human transmission."

  Second, the symptoms of Omicron infection are not typical and therefore more insidious during transmission.

From the perspective of clinical manifestations, the infection of the Omicron strain is similar to the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection caused by other viruses, lacking specific manifestations, and the clinical differential diagnosis is relatively difficult.

  Guo Yanhong also pointed out that, in general, the proportion of severe patients infected with Omicron is not very high.

However, due to its rapid spread, once it causes population transmission, it may cause a run on medical resources.

  In general, the prevention and control strategies and preventive measures adopted by China are effective for the prevention and control of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, including the infection of Omicron, which naturally includes vaccination against the new crown virus and enhanced immunity.

Also at the press conference on the 19th, Wu Liangyou revealed that the National Health Commission has begun to deploy sequential booster immunizations.

  What is sequential immunization?

According to Wang Huaqing, chief expert of the immunization program of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, sequential immunization is a method that vaccines of different technical routes are inoculated at certain intervals and doses. In order to further improve the preventive effect and consider its safety, a immunization strategy.

  Wu Liangyou also pointed out that for the target population, one can choose between homologous booster immunization and sequential booster immunization.

Research data show that both homologous booster immunization and sequential booster immunization can further improve the immune effect.

  Regarding the safety and effectiveness of sequential strengthening of immunization, Shao Yiming, a member of the expert group for vaccine research and development of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism Scientific Research Team of the State Council, also said that China has organized research work in this area in the early stage, and its immunogenicity results are very good. , neutralizing antibody 100% positive conversion, neutralizing antibody titer can also be raised higher, can play a complementary role.

  At the same time, its side effects are the same or lower than those of single use, no additional side effects are seen, and "safety is assured".

"Such a work (sequential booster immunization) provides a new means for the establishment of our original immune barrier, making the immune barrier we build stronger and more durable." Shao Yiming said.

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