Zhong Nanshan： Omicron infection is not terrible, calling for strengthening vaccination
On December 9th, Academician Zhong Nanshan expressed his views on the current epidemic prevention and control in Guangzhou. Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Dawei photo
Xinhua News Agency, Guangzhou, December 9th Title: Zhong Nanshan: Omicron infection is not terrible. Call for strengthening vaccination
Xinhua News Agency reporters Xiao Sisi, Ma Xiaocheng and Xu Hongyi
Zhong Nanshan, an academician of China Academy of Engineering, published an online report at the 2022 annual meeting of Chinese Medical Association on the 9th, saying that China’s epidemic prevention strategy has made great achievements since the outbreak of COVID-19, and it has also been recognized by the world. After constant mutation, the pathogenicity of Omicron decreased, and Omicron infection was not terrible, and it called for strengthening vaccination.
Great achievements have been made in epidemic prevention strategy in China.
Zhong Nanshan said that since the outbreak of COVID-19, China’s epidemic prevention strategy has made great achievements. In the report released in May 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) expounded the prevention and control strategies and consequences adopted by four different countries around the world, and listed China’s prevention and control strategy as the best option.
On December 9th, Academician Zhong Nanshan expressed his views on the current epidemic prevention and control in Guangzhou. Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Dawei photo
Zhong Nanshan said that 386 experts from 112 countries published an article in the journal Nature published on November 3, and put forward 57 suggestions, including "the whole country should jointly carry out epidemic prevention and control and response, strengthen the management of key public places and adopt it globally ‘ Vaccine +’ Plan "is the priority strategy to end the epidemic in COVID-19, which actually proves the correctness of China’s epidemic prevention strategy from a scientific point of view.
Zhong Nanshan said that according to the data of official website, National Health Commission and official website of the World Health Organization as of November 28th, 2022, the proportion of diagnosed cases per million people in major countries and regions in the world is only 215.3 in China, which is far lower than other countries and regions.
Infection with Omicron is not terrible, and most of them can fully recover in 7 to 10 days.
Zhong Nanshan said that relevant research shows that Omicron’s ability to resist the "immune escape" of human immune system continues to improve, but the mortality rate of infection continues to decline.
On December 9th, Academician Zhong Nanshan expressed his views on the current epidemic prevention and control in Guangzhou. Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Dawei photo
"After continuous mutation, the infection of Omicron mutant strains including BA.5 and BF.7 is not terrible, and most of them can fully recover in 7 to 10 days." Zhong Nanshan said.
In addition, compared with other strains, the risk of sequela caused by Omicron mutant is lower. Zhong Nanshan said that a recent international study included 56,000 COVID-19 patients, including those infected with wild strains, Delta and Omicron mutants. The results showed that compared with the Delta mutant epidemic period, during the Omicron mutant epidemic period, the probability of common symptoms including loss of taste or smell, cough, fever, shortness of breath, myalgia, fatigue, weakness and headache decreased from 10.8% to 4.5%, but the proportion of sore throat increased.
On December 9th, Academician Zhong Nanshan expressed his views on the current epidemic prevention and control in Guangzhou. Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Dawei photo
Zhong Nanshan said that a large Scottish cohort study showed that symptomatic infected people had a higher risk of sequelae, while asymptomatic infected people had no significant correlation with sequelae. Patients vaccinated before infection have a lower risk of sequelae.
One of the keys to prevention and control is to strengthen vaccination.
Zhong Nanshan believes that one of the keys to prevention and control in the next step is to strengthen vaccination. He said that it is useful for Omicron to fully inoculate China’s inactivated vaccine, adenovirus vector vaccine and subunit protein vaccine. In this year’s epidemic in Shanghai, compared with those who have not been vaccinated, the death risk of people over 60 who have completed the booster immunization has decreased by 98.08%, and the death risk of people over 80 who have completed the booster immunization has decreased by 95.83%.
On December 9th, Academician Zhong Nanshan expressed his views on the current epidemic prevention and control in Guangzhou. Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Dawei photo
Zhong Nanshan suggested that the immunization of the elderly and vulnerable groups should be strengthened, and the vaccine protection for medical staff should be strengthened.