The new crown caused by the Omicron variant is equivalent to a large flu? What are the characteristics of this round of epidemic? What is the focus and difficulty of prevention and control? Let’s take a look at the response of Liang Wannian, head of the expert group of the National Health Commission’s Epidemic Response and Disposal Leading Group.
Is the new crown equivalent to the big flu? It is too early to draw conclusions
At present, some members of the public and scholars have proposed that the new crown caused by the Omicron variant is equivalent to a large-scale influenza. In response to such a statement, Liang Wannian, head of the expert group of the National Health Commission’s Leading Group for Epidemic Response and Disposal, said that this conclusion is drawn. It’s too early.
Liang Wannian: Because its transmissibility and harm to human health are higher than that of ordinary influenza, it may be that for a certain individual, the probability of becoming seriously ill or other conditions is decreasing. But as a whole, it spreads quickly, the infection rate is high in a short period of time, and the absolute number of infected people is large. Among the infected people, the absolute number of severe cases and deaths will be high. This high level is a great harm to a society, a region, and a country. Therefore, how to move from individual thinking to group thinking? this point is very important.
Liang Wannian said that although the harm of the new crown virus cannot be underestimated, it is gratifying that in the process of fighting against it, human beings are gradually mastering some effective “weapons” with the development of science and technology. In addition, through more than two years of anti-epidemic practice in China, the people have formed a conscious participation in the anti-epidemic, the awareness and behavior of being the master of the anti-epidemic, and the gradual development of good health literacy. These are our hopes to overcome the epidemic.
It’s a challenge to cut off the source of infection, and it’s a challenge to cut off the source of infection.
At present, the local cluster epidemic in my country is characterized by many points, wide areas, and frequent occurrence. Liang Wannian introduced that this is due to the characteristics of the Omicron variant.
Liang Wannian said that from the earliest emergence of the new crown pneumonia epidemic to today’s Omicron variant, the transmission power of the new crown virus has increased rapidly, and its concealment has continued to increase. From the transmission characteristics of Omicron, the most important thing is that it brings great challenges to the discovery and management of the source of infection.
Liang Wannian: Because it has a relatively high proportion of asymptomatic infections and a relatively high proportion of mild symptoms, its spread is relatively hidden. In addition, it is mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract, the transmission route is easy to achieve, and the population flow is gradually increasing. It is easy to move from one population to another, or even from one country to another.
my country’s existing measures effectively curb the rising trend of the epidemic
Recently, many places have adopted measures such as working from home, prohibiting the movement of people, and online teaching to curb the spread of the epidemic. Liang Wannian believes that, unlike the “exponential” increase in foreign infections, my country’s epidemic prevention and control measures have played a role, and the spread of the virus has been effectively curbed.
Liang Wannian: From a global perspective, in many countries, the epidemic has risen rapidly in a short period of time, and the upward trend is not a slow rise, but a steep rise. Exponential rise. We have gone through this period of time. Although there have been sporadic cases at many points, or even local clustered epidemics, the overall upward trend is not exponential. This is precisely because we have taken a series of effective intervention measures to curb its rise. Momentum, so you have to have confidence.
Liang Wannian: Governments and professional organizations at all levels must know that once an epidemic occurs, they must take action quickly, and you may nip it in the bud very quickly. In the contest, and we are in the race, we must show this spirit and attitude to control it.
Antigen detection and nucleic acid detection should be complementary and synergistic
The newly released ninth edition of the “New Coronary Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment Program” adds antigen testing as a supplement to nucleic acid testing. Online and offline platforms in many places have started sales. According to Liang Wannian, antigen detection and nucleic acid detection are effectively complementary and synergistic according to their characteristics, which is conducive to improving the ability of “early detection” of epidemic prevention and control in my country.
Liang Wannian: In the past, we mainly used nucleic acid detection, mainly because the sensitivity and specificity of nucleic acid detection were relatively good, and the probability and accuracy of positive detection were more accurate than antigens. But it also has shortcomings: it requires special facilities and professional personnel to do it, so it is difficult to execute, and it will consume a certain amount of time and energy. Antigen detection just makes up for this deficiency or defect. However, the disadvantage of antigen detection is its sensitivity and specificity, that is, the accuracy that we people often say is not as good as nucleic acid detection. By organically combining these two and learning from each other’s strengths, we can greatly improve the efficiency and probability of our discovery of infection sources and potential sources of infection.
Liang Wannian emphasized that since the antigen test is performed by himself, once a positive test is found, it must be reviewed and confirmed by a nucleic acid test. How to divide and define the application of antigen detection and nucleic acid detection should be clarified and refined in the next step.