Epidemic control experts: asymptomatic and light patients may become mainstream

On March 15, the National Health Commission and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine issued the “New Coronary Virus Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment Plan (Trial Version Ninth Revised Edition)”, making corresponding revisions to last year’s eighth edition. In this regard, Yang Junling, deputy director of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of the Second Hospital of Jilin University, answered relevant questions at a press conference on epidemic prevention and control held by the Jilin Provincial Government Information Office today.

Yang Junling introduced that the biggest difference between the ninth edition and the eighth edition is: First, the ninth edition plan emphasizes that the Omicron strain has replaced the delta strain as the main circulating strain. Compared with the delta strain, the Omicron strain is more infectious and faster, but the pathogenicity is reduced. Second, the ninth version of the plan cancels the diagnosis of asymptomatic infections. For mild cases and asymptomatic infected people, only centralized isolation management and observation are required, and no designated hospital treatment is required. Symptomatic treatment and condition monitoring should be done during the isolation management period. If the condition worsens, it needs to be transferred to a designated hospital for treatment. At the same time, it is emphasized that discharged patients will no longer be isolated for 14 days, and only need to be monitored at home for 7 days. With the implementation of the new version of the plan and the successive application of self-testing virus antigen kits, it may become mainstream for asymptomatic and mild patients to be isolated and observed in shelters in the future. Third, the ninth version of the plan included two new specific antiviral drugs into the plan, PF-07321332/ritonavir tablet (Paxlovid) and ampavizumab/romisevirumab injection. It can be used for both mild and ordinary patients with high risk factors for developing severe or critical disease. At the same time, in the new plan, the importance and effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of new coronavirus infection is reiterated.

Yang Junling introduced that Jilin Province has adopted the ninth edition of the diagnosis and treatment plan and combined with the actual situation in the province. For light cases, it has mainly adopted centralized isolation management or centralized management in designated hospitals. Centralized treatment in designated hospitals, and admission to hospitals as soon as possible and with priority for severe and critically ill cases. At the same time, pay close attention to mild and common cases that have transformed into severe cases to prevent and reduce the risk of their transformation into severe cases. In terms of drug treatment, the method of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine is mainly adopted, including clearing away heat and detoxifying, treating symptoms, and improving the immune function of the body. At the same time, an individualized treatment plan is formulated, and corresponding treatment measures are taken for patients with underlying diseases. For severe and critically ill patients, we provide rescue treatment. After treatment, the patients can be transferred to ordinary or mild ones, and they can also be transferred back to designated hospitals for centralized isolation.

“At present, most of the mild and common patients in Jilin Province have improved after careful care and treatment by medical staff. Since most of the severe and critically ill patients have underlying diseases, while treating the new crown, we are mainly actively targeting Comorbidities are treated. So far, there have been very few patients who have transformed from mild and common types to severe and critical types,” said Yang Junling.

(China Daily Jilin Reporter Station)