Mi Feng, spokesperson of the National Health and Wellness Committee, said that at present, China's epidemic prevention and control has entered a new stage, facing a new situation and new tasks, and the focus of work has shifted from "preventing infection" to "protecting health and preventing serious diseases". The implementation of "Class B management" is to adjust the prevention and control strategy on the basis of comprehensive evaluation of virus variation, epidemic situation and prevention and control work in China. It is a measure to seek truth from facts, optimize and improve prevention and control measures according to the situation, and continuously improve the scientificity, accuracy and effectiveness of prevention and control work.
Data map. China Network Liang Zheng photo
The implementation of "B-type management" is by no means a loose end, and the key point is to strengthen service and guarantee. It is necessary to pay close attention to the preparation of medical treatment resources, focus on ensuring the drug demand of the masses, do a good job in the protection and treatment of key groups such as the elderly and children, especially strengthen the vaccination and health management of the elderly, and effectively strengthen the prevention and control of epidemic situation in rural areas.
Extended reading
Does "B and B-like tube" mean returning to the state before the epidemic? Liang Wannian explained in detail.
Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Fang and Dong Ruifeng
With the weakening of the pathogenicity of Omicrovirus, the popularization of vaccination and the accumulation of experience in prevention and control, China's epidemic prevention and control is facing new situations and new tasks.
On 26th, the National Health and Wellness Commission announced that novel coronavirus infection will be changed from "Class B A tube" to "Class B tube" on June 8th, 2023. This is another major adjustment of the epidemic prevention and control policy since China began to implement strict infectious disease prevention and control measures on June 20, 2020.
It has been nearly three years since the implementation of the regulation policy of "Grade A management". Why is it adjusted to "Class B management" this time? What is the main basis for policy adjustment? Does the adjustment mean that the prevention and control efforts are reduced? What changes will be brought about after the adjustment? Liang Wannian, an authoritative expert invited by the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council and the head of the expert group on COVID-19 epidemic response and disposal of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, immediately responded to public concerns.
Q: What is the main basis for adjusting the infection of new coronary pneumonia from "Class A tube" to "Class B tube"?
A: Classified management has always been a strategy for the prevention and control of infectious diseases in China. Implementing dynamic adjustment and scientific management according to law has always been a basic principle for China to deal with infectious diseases.
At present, there are 40 kinds of legal infectious diseases in China, including 2 kinds of Class A, 27 kinds of Class B, and 3 kinds of1/kloc-0. Class A infectious diseases include plague and cholera. Class B infectious diseases include novel coronavirus, SARS and AIDS. Among them, novel coronavirus, SARS and pulmonary anthrax in anthrax should be prevented and controlled by measures. Class C infectious diseases are infectious diseases monitored and managed, including influenza.
The adjustment of infectious diseases from "Class A tube" to "Class B tube" requires relevant conditions. Under the premise of law, according to the understanding of the nature and harmfulness of pathogens and diseases, according to the immunity of the population and the resistance of the health system, according to the present situation and future trend of the epidemic, we should gather the wisdom of experts, learn from the experience at home and abroad, and comprehensively consider various factors to make decisions.
Judging from the legal basis, when an infectious disease may cause serious harm to citizens' human health and life safety, and may cause great economic losses and social impact, the state can take high-intensity intervention measures for citizens and society. However, when the harm of infectious diseases to human health and life safety is weakened and the impact on economy and society is reduced, the state should dynamically adjust the intensity of intervention measures to ensure that the prevention and control measures of infectious diseases are optimized and adjusted according to the situation.
When new infectious diseases appear, their infectivity, pathogenicity and pathogen variation characteristics are not clear because of the lack of understanding of their etiology and epidemiological characteristics. In order to protect people's life safety and health to the greatest extent, the effective experience is to include them in Class B infectious diseases at the first time since we responded to SARS in 2003, highly pathogenic avian influenza in 2005 and emerging infectious diseases such as A1N1influenza in 2009. However, with the deepening of the research and understanding of the epidemic law of diseases and pathogens, the research and development of clinical treatment methods, vaccines and drugs, and the accumulation of effective prevention and control measures, SARS and avian influenza, which were once "Class A", have returned to Class B infectious diseases, while influenza A (H 1N 1) has been included in influenza, which is monitored and managed as Class C infectious diseases.
Q: Some netizens believe that this adjustment means that the prevention and control efforts will be reduced, which will make the epidemic spread faster and wider. Will this happen? What is the future focus of epidemic prevention and control?
A: After the adjustment, corresponding adjustments will be made in prevention and control measures such as isolating close contacts of infected people, blocking epidemic areas, and traffic hygiene and quarantine. For Class B infectious diseases, the source of infection and close contacts are generally not strictly isolated. Therefore, in the initial stage of the adjustment of prevention and control measures, the number of infected cases in COVID-19 may increase, which may lead to insufficient drug supply and public panic. Therefore, we actively prepare plans to deal with these risks to ensure a smooth transition of adjustment.
At present, we need to shift our focus from preventing and controlling infection to medical treatment. The goal of our work is to protect health, prevent serious diseases and ensure the smooth and orderly adjustment of prevention and control measures. Special attention should be paid to vaccination, personal protection and timely treatment of severe and high-risk groups such as the elderly and patients with basic diseases to minimize serious illness and death.
In order to effectively prevent risks, the following measures need to be taken: First, strengthen vaccination, especially for the elderly and patients with chronic diseases. The second is to strengthen drug supply security. Third, encourage asymptomatic infected people and mild cases with home isolation conditions to give priority to home isolation treatment through online health consultation and rational drug use. The fourth is to improve the grading diagnosis and treatment mechanism of medical institutions, optimize the allocation of medical resources, strengthen the capacity building of primary diagnosis and treatment, and coordinate the treatment of infected people in COVID-19 and the daily medical service guarantee, so as not to affect the normal medical service as much as possible. Fifth, do a good job in risk communication and strengthen publicity and advocacy for the public. Suggestions on health monitoring, personal protection, rational drug use at home and garbage disposal are put forward. To help the public know how to use drugs, when to seek medical treatment, where to seek medical treatment and other specific issues, so as to promote public rationality and respond to the COVID-19 epidemic with a normal mind. Sixth, care and care for medical staff and those who maintain the daily operation of social economy, and arrange their work reasonably. Seventh, strengthen the monitoring of virus variation, disease severity and the use of medical resources, and try to avoid a run on medical resources.
Q: At present, there are still many uncertainties about virus variation. After the policy adjustment, does it mean that China has completely recovered to the state before the epidemic?
A: The adjustment from "Class B A tube" to "Class B tube" is based on the characteristics of spread and pathogenicity of Omicron variants, severe illness and death caused by infection, and changes in international epidemic situation. In order to better adapt to the new situation of epidemic prevention and control and the new characteristics of COVID-19's variation, make efficient use of prevention and control resources, better coordinate epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development, better ensure the normal production and life, and minimize it.
At present, the COVID-19 epidemic continues to spread around the world. The domestic epidemic situation is generally in a stage of rapid rise. Due to the differences in population mobility, population density and immune level, the peak time of epidemic situation will be different in different places, and all places will face the pressure of epidemic situation in the future. On the one hand, it is government departments, health care system and so on. We will continue to do a good job in prevention, control and treatment in accordance with legal provisions and responsibilities, and do everything possible to reduce serious and serious diseases, reduce illness and death, and safeguard people's health; On the other hand, it is particularly necessary for the public to do personal protection, continue to cooperate with the implementation of relevant prevention and control measures, reduce mobility and aggregation, and reduce the impact of short-term epidemic peaks on medical resources.
Q: Why do we have the basic conditions to adjust to "B-type B-tube"?
A: Adjusting novel coronavirus infection from "Class A tube" to "Class B tube" is a decision made by pooling experts' wisdom, learning from domestic and foreign experience and comprehensively considering various factors. It should be said that at present, people's understanding of COVID-19 and diseases is further deepened, the harmfulness of diseases is declining, the supply of effective vaccines and drugs, and the improvement of emergency response capacity have all created conditions for this adjustment. The anti-epidemic work in the past three years has also laid a solid foundation for adjustment.
Firstly, the pathogenicity of COVID-19 Omicron mutant was obviously weakened. International and domestic monitoring data confirmed that the pathogenicity and virulence of Omicron mutant were significantly weaker than those of the original strain and other related mutants.
Secondly, vaccination has become popular in COVID-19. Up to now, China has reported more than 3.4 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine, covering more than 92% of the total population and 90% of the total population.
Third, the ability of medical treatment has been improved. By improving the grading diagnosis and treatment system, strengthening the capacity of primary medical and health institutions, increasing fever clinics, increasing critical beds and ICU in designated hospitals and related treatment equipment and materials, the treatment of infected people in COVID-19 and the daily medical service guarantee can be realized as a whole.
Fourthly, China has the ability to produce and supply anti-COVID-19 drugs, including traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine.
Fifth, people's health awareness and health literacy have been further improved, and their self-protection ability has been gradually improved. With the publication of "Guidelines for Family Treatment of Infected Persons in COVID-19" and the popularization of commonly used drugs for family treatment, asymptomatic infected persons and mild cases can be monitored and treated at home under the guidance of medical staff.
After the policy adjustment, we should overcome the paralysis, pay special attention to the monitoring of virus variation and the utilization of medical resources, and do a good job in ensuring health, reducing severe cases and reducing deaths.