"The world is still facing the risk of the spread of the new crown epidemic and the influenza epidemic, especially this winter." On November 1, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Zhong Nanshan said at the 2022 "World Influenza Day" Science Popularization and Academic Conference that during the new crown epidemic, we still need to strengthen research on scientific issues of influenza prevention and control.
1Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences Dong Chen also said that the world is still facing a high risk of superimposed epidemics such as influenza and new coronary pneumonia, and The prevention and control of respiratory infectious diseases is a long way to go .
"Since June this year, a new round of interasteric influenza epidemics in Europe, and at the same time, the United States also experienced an unprecedented epidemic of avian infection with H5N1, with extremely high risk of spillover and infection of humans. Therefore, the superposition of influenza and new crown is a very big challenge we face this winter and next spring." Chinese Academy of Sciences Gao Fu pointed out that the current level of new crown vaccination has gradually increased, but the vaccination rate of influenza is generally low .
Many experts reminded at the meeting that special attention should be paid to the respiratory infectious disease epidemic this winter. So, why is there a high possibility of superimposed popularity this winter? How to deal with the possible superimposed popularity?
XBB cases were found in many places around the world
new coronavirus mutant virus Omickron subtype strain XBB is a BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 sublineage recombination, has a higher risk of reinfection .
Recently, cases of the Omickron subtype strain XBB have been found in many places.
Malaysia
1On October 31, the Malaysian Ministry of Health announced that four cases of infection with the Omickron subtype strain XBB of the new coronavirus mutant virus were found in the country. Currently, they have symptoms such as fever, cough, and muscle pain, and have been asked to self-isolate for 7 days.
Tokyo
On October 27, local time, the Tokyo Broadcasting Corporation (tbs) news website reported that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government of Japan announced that the first time in Tokyo was confirmed to have 6 cases of infection with the Omickon mutant strain "XBB".
UK
UK Health and Safety Bureau 28 released the latest technical report on the new coronavirus mutant virus on the 428th, saying that due to growth advantages, the emergence of some new coronavirus mutant virus Omickron subtype strains, may accelerate the recent spread of the new coronavirus .
This technical briefing based on epidemiological data points out that multiple Omickron subtype strains are spreading in the UK, many of which have mutations. may have a certain degree of immune escape ability .
Mila Chander, an official in charge of clinical and new infections at the British Health and Safety Bureau, said that the emergence of the new coronavirus mutant strain is not surprising, and vaccination is still the best way to prevent the future wave of new coronavirus infections .
1 vaccination can still play a role in the XBB virus
htmlOn October 5, Cao Yunlong, an associate researcher at the Changping Laboratory and Peking University Biomedical Frontier Innovation Center, posted a statement on a social platform that
XBB's immune escape ability is temporarily the strongest among mutant viruses. 's immune escape ability is significantly higher than BA.2.75.2 and BQ.1.1, and also higher than BR.2, BM.1.1 and CA.1.
Hong Kong SAR Government expert consultant and chairman of the Vaccine Preventable Diseases Science Committee, Liu Yulong, said in an exclusive interview with Shenzhen Satellite TV Direct News Hong Kong reporter Qiu Qianyi, pointed out that the XBB.1 mutant virus strain has strong immune escape ability, so it spreads faster after entering the community. But he also emphasized that the XBB virus will not cause more serious symptoms. If is vaccinated, the T cells in the body can still play a role in the XBB virus.
Respiratory virus should become the focus of prevention and control of infectious diseases
"The new coronavirus and influenza virus are both respiratory viruses. Respiratory virus infection often has a short incubation period, rapid transmission, wide transmission range, strong transmission, high incidence rate, and difficult to control."
0 Zhong Nanshan pointed out that once the epidemic caused by respiratory virus outbreak, it will often lead to serious public health events , and thus become the focus of prevention and control in global infectious diseases.
Image source: Online meeting screenshot
How to effectively deal with the possible overlay popularity?
Zhong Nanshan believes that basic research and clinical research have important scientific and practical significance in the diagnosis, treatment and control of respiratory viruses. In the new crown epidemic, promotes basic research on pathogenesis mechanisms and accelerates the research and development of rapid clinical diagnosis methods, providing an important basis for the prevention and control practice of clinical epidemics and the judgment of disease prognosis.
Scholars from different regions such as Russia and the United Kingdom jointly believe that 's prevention and control experience during the COVID-19 epidemic is worth learning from, and , for example, the development of fast and accessible diagnostic methods may play a crucial role in preventing and controlling the influenza epidemic.
is also worth learning from. The relevant research results achieved during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"In recent years, my country has achieved landmark series of achievements in respiratory virus research." Dong Chen said that basic research has made progress in respiratory viruses, pathogenesis, structural biology, immunology, cross-species transmission and infection pathogenic mechanisms, clinical treatment, vaccines, drugs and antibodies, etc., and has formed a good technical reserve, which can provide guidance for influenza prevention and control strategies.
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Content source/CCTV News, Xinhua News Agency, Shangguan News, Science and Technology Daily
