BA.5 has been introduced into China! Academician Zhang Boli: The most contagious strain known so far

"The BA.5 strain is not only the most contagious strain known, but the latest research also finds that it has stronger immune escape and repeated infection capabilities than previous strains. The new strain BA.5 has been prevalent in South Africa, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Israel and other countries, and it is likely to set off a new round of epidemic peaks worldwide. my country is facing great pressure to prevent imported cases." On July 7, Zhang Boli, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, told a reporter from the People's Daily Health Client.

On July 6, Beijing conducted genetic sequencing on infections 1 to 3 reported on the 5th, and the results showed that the viruses all belonged to the BA.5.2 branch of the Omicron variant.

Earlier, Xi'an's COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control press conference introduced that the virus infected in this round of epidemic was the BA.5.2 branch of the Omicron variant. Combined with epidemiological investigations, it was initially considered that the source came from abroad.

Academician Zhang Boli said, "A new outbreak has recently occurred in Xi'an, which has initiated the most stringent epidemic prevention measures since the Spring Festival this year. It has been confirmed that the virus that caused the Xi'an outbreak is a new variant of the new coronavirus - strain BA.5, which is also considered to be the most contagious strain at present. The latest research results in South Africa show that the R0 value of the BA.5 strain is as high as 18.6, making it the most contagious virus known so far. The gene sequencing results of the virus that recently triggered a new round of clustered outbreaks in Beijing also showed that it came from BA.5, which means that the BA.5 strain has been introduced into my country and caused local transmission. This new epidemic situation needs to be taken seriously."

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Regarding the prevention and control measures for the new coronavirus strain BA.5, Academician Zhang Boli made five suggestions during an interview:

First, close contacts of the BA.5 strain should take Chinese medicine for prevention as early as possible, and the accessibility advantages of Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of new coronavirus pneumonia should be fully utilized.

Traditional Chinese medicine has played the role of "strengthening the body and eliminating evil" in the prevention and treatment of new coronavirus pneumonia, and it responds to ever-changing situations with the same approach. Traditional Chinese medicine does not directly target the virus, but instead regulates the body's immune function, mobilizes its own disease resistance to defeat the virus, and protects tissues and organs to reduce damage, giving full play to the unique advantages of traditional Chinese medicine in preventing diseases, treating diseases based on syndrome differentiation, and multi-target intervention.

Traditional Chinese medicine preventive measures should be fully utilized in the prevention and control of the new coronavirus epidemic. For people who have close contact and people with high-risk factors, the advantage of traditional Chinese medicine in "preventive treatment" should be brought into play to build a second line of defense against the new coronavirus epidemic. This is of great value and provides another layer of protection for the people besides vaccines.

Second, it is recommended to popularize nucleic acid antigen testing to respond to the spread of new strains.

The new variant is highly contagious. In some grassroots areas that do not have nucleic acid testing capabilities, or for some people with relatively high infection risks, antigen testing can be used without the need for specialized laboratories and complex instruments, and the results can be obtained in a shorter time. This can move the threshold for early detection forward, saving a lot of time and manpower for subsequent precise prevention and control.

However, antigen testing cannot replace nucleic acid testing. When the antigen test is positive, nucleic acid testing must be done to confirm it.

Third, comprehensively increase the vaccination rate of the entire population, especially the elderly.

Faced with the new strain and new situation, the vaccination rate of the elderly group is not high, and the number of infected people is relatively small, which is a relatively high-risk group. BA.5 has a strong ability to break through infection, and the protective barrier effect of full vaccination is weakened, but it still has a definite effect in reducing the rate of severe illness and mortality.

The COVID-19 vaccine has always been an important means of epidemic prevention and control, and has been effective in preventing severe illness and death. The importance of vaccination has been demonstrated in the epidemics in Hong Kong and Shanghai. It is hoped that the elderly, especially those with underlying diseases, will actively receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Fourth, strengthen the work of tracing the source of transmission.

We should adapt to changes and respond to speed with speed, carry out source tracing and epidemiological investigation more strictly, strive to trace the source faster and more accurately, ensure that no close contacts and secondary close contacts are missed, and focus on controlling high-risk groups. We should find out the transmission chain of the epidemic as soon as possible, detect it early, isolate it early, and treat it early to prevent the further spread of the epidemic.

Fifth, people are advised not to travel to medium- and high-risk areas.

We must plug the loopholes, adhere to strict measures to "prevent imported cases from abroad", reflect on where the loopholes may exist, divert airport passenger and cargo traffic domestically and internationally, and properly handle parcels and mail from high-risk areas at home and abroad.

Ordinary people should also strengthen epidemic prevention education and take good care of themselves. Summer vacation is the peak tourist season, and strict protective measures should be adhered to. In particular, it is recommended that people do not travel to medium- and high-risk areas, and tourist attractions and airports need to be particularly vigilant.

Source: Health Times (ID:jksb2013)

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