Things have to start from yesterday. Just when everyone was talking about New Year's Eve, a screenshot in WeChat Moments went viral. Several screenshots posted online showed that the Omicron subtype XBB1.5 strain has become the dominant strain in some foreign areas. It mainly attacks the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular and digestive systems . It can easily cause diarrhea, so those who have the conditions to prepare montmorillonite powder and other drugs.
So in panic, many people began to grab this "magic antidiarrheal medicine" Montmorillonite Powder. The more experts came out and said that there was no need to stock up on medicine, the more netizens started to stock up. After all, since the liberalization, the experts had to listen to what they said. It’s a medicine that is only three parts poisonous, so is montmorillonite powder really worth preparing?
Now that it has been released, we will need to fight against this virus for a long time. As long as we really use immunity to defeat it, we need to correctly understand this virus, instead of blindly following the trend all the time.
So is this XBB1.5 strain really that exaggerated?
According to reports from NBC and other US media, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the new variant of XBB.1.5 is spreading rapidly in the United States. Currently, 40% of confirmed COVID-19 cases are infected with this new variant, up from 20% the previous week. In the northeastern region, about 75% of confirmed cases are infected with XBB.1.5.
Pecoutz, a virology expert at Johns Hopkins University in the United States, said that XBB.1.5 has an additional mutation that can better bind to cells and has a stronger escape ability. The consequence is that the new crown vaccine will not work on this virus. Another consequence is that it is more contagious than the BF.5 and BF.7 popular in my country.
More importantly, XBB.1.5 is the newer strain that is "two generations ahead" of my country's current strain,
. The latest XBB.1.5 strain has been detected in Shanghai, my country. The vast majority of these cases are imported cases from overseas, but they have not spread on a large scale yet. Previously, the "southern strain" BA.5.2 and the "northern strain" BF.7 have met in Shanghai. Multiple strains have merged, and there may be a new round of spread in the near future.
Judging from the clinical symptoms of the XBB.1.5 strain, the main symptoms are fever, fatigue, and dry cough, which may be accompanied by symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and diarrhea.
If symptoms of diarrhea occur, many people take it for granted that they should use montmorillonite powder to stop diarrhea. However, the fact may be just the opposite. What is needed is not antidiarrheal medicine, but drinking more boiled water to replenish fluids.
Judging from the eleven types of symptoms of the new coronavirus released by the country, diarrhea and intestinal discomfort have long been included in it. The diarrhea of XBB.1.5 this time is no different, and the diarrhea of XBB.1.5 is no different from our common norovirus, enteric adenovirus, astrovirus, and calicivirus diarrhea.
Viruses in the human body are excreted through the urinary system and intestinal system, that is, pee and stool. Just like the human body's fever is the reaction of immune cells fighting against the virus, our ultimate victory over the virus requires the virus to be excreted from the body. Diarrhea is just one of the ways of detoxification, so the diarrhea of XBB.1.5 is also a reaction of detoxification. At this time, using antidiarrheal drugs is not the right medicine and may be counterproductive.
Montmorillonite powder is mainly used in the gastroenterology department to treat diarrhea. This drug has a certain astringent effect and can stop diarrhea. However, montmorillonite powder has certain side effects and is difficult to be excreted from the body. If left in the body, it will cause the other extreme, constipation. Antidiarrheal medicine does stop diarrhea, but the virus may continue to remain in the body and cause trouble.
In fact, diarrhea is normal. Patients only need to pay attention to rest and replenish water and electrolytes. That is what we often say, drink more boiled water to prevent dehydration. Drinking boiled water can cure all diseases.
However, if severe symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, or combined with high fever occur, the best way at this time is not to take antidiarrheal drugs, but to go to the hospital for treatment in time.
is a medicine that is three-part poisonous. You can eat food randomly, but you can’t take medicine randomly. In the past, those who stocked up on medicine suffered from liver failure and were admitted to ICU if they didn’t take medicine randomly. , it is best to use the medicine under the guidance of a doctor instead of taking it randomly. Experts may not be trustworthy, and you still have to listen to the doctor's words. For diarrhea caused by XBB.1.5, montmorillonite powder may not be the right medicine. Normally, you only need to drink more boiled water. If you have serious symptoms, you need to seek medical treatment in time.
Of course, montmorillonite powder is also a normal stock medicine in the family. It is perfectly fine to prepare medicines normally for emergencies, but there is no need to hoard medicines on a large scale.
