Li Bin, deputy director of the National Health Commission, said that from the characteristics of infectious diseases, health impact, the epidemic situation and the need for prevention and control work, will be an infectious disease from Category B A tube adjusted to Category B B tube, need to have the relevant conditions. This is a clear requirement of the law on the prevention and control of infectious diseases, is a clear embodiment of the prevention and control of the law.
In the past three years, through the strict management of the "Category B A" of C.pneumoniae, we have withstood the impact of five waves of epidemics around the globe, successfully avoided the widespread epidemic of the original strain, the Delta mutant, which is relatively strong in pathogenicity, and greatly reduced the number of serious illnesses and deaths, and have won valuable time for the research and development and application of vaccines, drugs and the preparation of medical care and other resources. Resources for the preparation of the vaccine, drug development and application, as well as medical and other resources to win valuable time, strong protection of people's lives and health, coordinating the prevention and control of epidemics and economic and social development to achieve significant positive results.
Currently, with the mutation of the virus, changes in the epidemic, the popularization of vaccination and the accumulation of experience in prevention and control, China's new crown epidemic prevention and control has entered a new stage, prevention and control work is facing a new situation and new tasks. We have closely tracked the characteristics of the virus, examined changes in the epidemic situation, accelerated vaccination and drug supply, strengthened medical treatment and prevention and control system, and enhanced emergency response capabilities, all of which have created the conditions for us to adjust the legal classification of the new coronavirus infection. Therefore, adjusted to "Category B B tube" we are fighting a prepared battle, but never passive liberalization.
From the epidemic situation and virus mutation, Omicron variant has become a global epidemic dominant strain, although the number of infected people, but the rate of serious illness and mortality rate is low. International and domestic surveillance data show that the pathogenicity of the Omicron variant is weaker than that of the original strain and other variants of concern, and that the symptoms caused by it are mainly fever and upper respiratory symptoms.
From the point of view of the immunization level of the population, the new crown vaccination has been popularized in China. The country has now accumulated more than 3.4 billion doses of the new coronavirus vaccine, with the number of people covered by the vaccine and the number of people receiving the full course of the vaccine accounting for more than 92% and more than 90% of the country's total population, respectively. The people's health awareness and health literacy have been further enhanced, and their personal protection ability has been gradually improved.
From the perspective of the basis of prevention and control work, by improving the hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system, strengthening the capacity building of primary medical and healthcare institutions, setting up additional fever outpatient clinics, and increasing the number of intensive care beds and ICUs in designated hospitals, as well as the related treatment equipment and material reserves, the medical treatment capacity has been upgraded, and gradually integrated to realize the treatment and day-to-day medical services for the newly infected and the guaranteed medical services for newly infected people. Progress has been made in the research and development of specific antiviral drugs both at home and abroad, and China has screened out clinically effective formulas such as the "three medicines and three prescriptions". The majority of medical and health personnel have accumulated a wealth of experience in epidemic prevention, control and disposal, and the prevention and treatment capacity has been significantly improved.
The focus of the current epidemic prevention and control work is to protect health and prevent serious illness. According to the law, the new coronavirus infection from the "B A" adjusted to "B B" is a major adjustment of the epidemic prevention and control strategy, reflecting the realistic, proactive, optimize and improve the prevention and control policy in light of the situation, will help to better adapt to the virus mutation and the epidemic Changes in the situation will help to better adapt to changes in the virus and the epidemic, help to focus prevention and control resources to protect the elderly, pregnant women and children suffering from basic diseases and other key populations, help to better protect the normal production and life and health care needs, and help to minimize the impact of the epidemic on economic and social development.
Li Bin also mentioned that the current global pandemic has not yet ended and the direction of the epidemic is still uncertain. Most countries and regions in the world still maintain higher prevention and control measures for the new crown epidemic than for ordinary infectious diseases. After the new coronavirus infection is adjusted to "Category B B control", it is by no means letting go of the matter, and by no means means means the withdrawal of all the preventive and control measures, but to strengthen the service, strengthen the protection. Next, we will grasp the preparation of medical treatment resources, efforts to protect the public demand for medication, make every effort to do a good job of the elderly, children and other key groups of people to protect and rescue, and effectively strengthen the prevention and control of the epidemic in rural areas, and strive to protect the people's health and safety.
Extended reading
Does "Category B B control" mean returning to a pre-epidemic state? Liang Wannian explained
Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Fang, Dong Ruifeng
With the weakening of the pathogenicity of the Omicron Virus, the popularization of vaccination, the accumulation of experience in prevention and control, China's prevention and control of the epidemic is facing a new situation and new tasks.
On the 26th, the National Health Commission issued an announcement that on January 8, 2023, the new coronavirus infection will be adjusted from "Class B A" to "Class B B". This is another major adjustment of the epidemic prevention and control policy since January 20, 2020, when China began to implement strict measures to prevent and control infectious diseases in Category A.
The implementation of the "Category B A" control policy has been nearly three years, this time why adjusted to "Category B B"? What is the main basis for the policy adjustment? Does the adjustment mean that the prevention and control efforts are reduced? What changes will be brought after the adjustment? The State Council Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism invited authoritative experts, the National Health Commission, the new crown epidemic response to deal with the work of the leading group of experts, Liang Wannian, the first time to respond to public concerns.
Q: What is the main basis for adjusting the new coronavirus infection from "Category B A" to "Category B B"?
A: Classification and management has always been the strategy for the prevention and control of infectious diseases in China, has been the implementation of dynamic adjustment, scientific management in accordance with the law has always been the basic principle of China's response to infectious diseases.
Currently, China's statutory infectious diseases **** there are 40 types, including 2 types of Category A, 27 types of Category B, Category C 11 types. Category A infectious diseases include plague and cholera. Category B infectious diseases include new coronavirus pneumonia, infectious atypical pneumonia, AIDS and so on. Among them, the new coronavirus pneumonia, infectious atypical pneumonia and pulmonary anthrax among anthrax, take the preventive and control measures of category A infectious diseases. Category C infectious diseases for monitoring and management of infectious diseases, including influenza and so on.
The adjustment of infectious diseases from "Category B A" to "Category B B" is subject to relevant conditions. Under the premise of the law, based on the understanding of the pathogen, the nature of the disease and the danger, based on the immunity of the population and the resistance of the health system, based on the current state of the epidemic and the future direction, gathering the wisdom of experts, drawing on domestic and international experience, and taking into account a comprehensive consideration of all aspects of the factors in order to make a decision.
From the legal point of view, when an infectious disease may cause serious harm to the human health and safety of citizens, may cause significant economic losses and social impact, the state can take high-intensity intervention measures for citizens and society. But when the danger of infectious diseases to human health and life safety weakened, the impact on the economy and society to reduce, the state should dynamically adjust the intensity of intervention measures, to ensure that infectious disease prevention and control measures in accordance with the time and situation optimization adjustment.
When the emergence of new infectious diseases, due to the lack of understanding of its pathogenicity and epidemiological characteristics, its infectiousness, pathogenicity, and pathogenic variation characteristics are not yet clear, in order to maximize the protection of people's life safety and health, our country since the 2003 infectious atypical pneumonia, the human infection of highly pathogenic avian influenza in 2005, the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) and other new infectious diseases Since the response, the effective experience and practice is the first time to include them in Category B infectious diseases but the implementation of Category A infectious disease control measures. However, with the deepening of research and understanding of the epidemiological patterns of diseases and pathogens, the development and application of clinical treatments, vaccines and drugs, as well as the accumulation of effective preventive and control measures, SARS and avian influenza, which were once "Class B, Category A", have returned to the control measures for Class B infectious diseases, while Influenza A (H1N1) has been incorporated into influenza and monitored and managed in accordance with Class C infectious diseases. monitoring and management.
Q: Some netizens believe that this adjustment means that the prevention and control efforts to reduce, will make the epidemic faster and wider spread, will this be the case? What is the focus of epidemic prevention and control in the future?
A: The adjustments will be made in the infected and close personnel isolation, blockade of the infected area, transportation and health quarantine and other prevention and control measures accordingly. For Category B infectious diseases, the source of infection and close contacts are generally no longer strictly isolated management, therefore, in the early stage of the adjustment of preventive and control measures may be an increase in the number of cases of new coronavirus infection, followed by a lack of supply of medicines, public panic and other phenomena, for this reason, we are actively preparing for these risks in response to the program, to protect the adjustment of a smooth transition.
Currently, we need to shift the focus of our work from prevention and control of infections to medical treatment, with the goal of preserving health and preventing serious illnesses, to ensure a smooth and orderly transition in the adjustment of prevention and control measures. Particular attention needs to be paid to the elderly, people with underlying diseases and other people at high risk of serious illnesses, such as vaccination, personal protection and timely treatment of infections, to minimize the number of serious illnesses and deaths.
In order to effectively prevent the risk, it is necessary to take the following measures: First, strengthen the vaccination, especially for the elderly, chronic disease patients and other groups. The second is to strengthen the security of drug supply. Third, through online health counseling, rational use of medication popularization, etc., to encourage asymptomatic infected people and light cases with home isolation conditions to prioritize the choice of home isolation treatment. Fourth, improve the hierarchical diagnosis and treatment mechanism of medical institutions, optimize the allocation of medical resources, strengthen the capacity building of grassroots diagnosis and treatment, and coordinate the rescue and treatment of new coronavirus-infected patients and the protection of daily medical services, so as to minimize the impact on normal medical services. Fifth, do a good job of risk communication, and strengthen publicity and advocacy for the public. Advice will be given on health monitoring, personal protection, rational use of medication at home, and garbage disposal to help the public understand how to use medication, when to seek medical treatment, and where to go for medical treatment, so that the public can respond to the new coronavirus outbreak rationally and with a sense of normalcy. Sixth, to care for medical personnel and those who maintain the daily operation of the social economy, and to rationalize work arrangements. Seventh, to strengthen the monitoring of virus mutation, disease severity, and the use of medical resources, and try to avoid a run on medical resources.
Q: Currently, there is still a lot of uncertainty about virus mutation. After the policy adjustment, does it mean that China has completely returned to the pre-epidemic state?
A: The adjustment from "Category B A" to "Category B B" is a decision based on the characteristics of the transmission and pathogenicity of the Omicron variant, the serious illness and death caused by infection, and changes in the international epidemic situation, in order to better adapt to the prevention and control of the epidemic. Adapt to the new situation of epidemic prevention and control and the new characteristics of the new strains of omicron viruses, efficient use of prevention and control resources, better integration of epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, better protection of normal production and life, and minimize the impact of the epidemic on economic and social development.
Currently, the new crown epidemic still persists in the global epidemic. The overall domestic epidemic is in a rapidly rising stage, subject to the mobility of the population, population density, population immunization levels and other differences, the time to usher in the peak of the epidemic will vary from place to place, the next period of time around the epidemic will be faced with the pressure of the epidemic one after another. On the one hand, government departments and the health system will continue to do a good job of prevention, control and treatment in accordance with the law and the requirements of their duties to minimize serious illnesses and deaths and to safeguard people's health; on the other hand, it is especially necessary for the public to take good personal protection, continue to cooperate in the implementation of the relevant preventive and control measures, reduce mobility and congregation, and minimize the impact of the short-term peak of the epidemic on healthcare resources.
Q: Why do you think we already have the basic conditions for adjusting to "Category B"?
A: Adjusting the new coronavirus infection from "Category B A" to "Category B B" is a decision made by gathering the wisdom of experts, learning from domestic and international experience, and considering all factors. It should be said that the current deepening of human understanding of the new coronavirus and the disease, the decline in the danger of the disease, the supply of effective vaccines and medicines, and the enhancement of emergency response capabilities have all created the conditions for this adjustment. The nearly three years of anti-epidemic work has also laid a solid foundation for the adjustment.
First, the pathogenicity of the Omicron variant of the new coronavirus has significantly weakened. International and domestic surveillance data confirm that the pathogenicity and virulence of the Omicron variant are significantly weaker than the original strain and other variants of concern.
The second is the popularization of vaccination against the new coronavirus. To date, more than 3.4 billion doses of the new coronavirus vaccine have been reported nationwide, covering more than 92% and 90% of the country's total population, respectively.
Third, medical treatment capacity has been improved. By improving the hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system, strengthening the capacity of primary medical and healthcare institutions, setting up additional fever clinics, and increasing the number of intensive care beds and ICUs as well as related treatment equipment and materials in designated hospitals, the rescue treatment of new coronavirus infected persons and the guarantee of daily medical services have been realized in a coordinated manner.
Fourth, China has the ability to produce and supply anti-new coronavirus drugs, including traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine.
Fifth, the people's health awareness and health literacy have been further enhanced, and their ability to protect themselves has gradually improved. With the release of the Guidelines for Home Treatment of Neocoronavirus Infected Persons and the popularization of commonly used medicines for home treatment, asymptomatic infected persons and mild cases can be monitored and treated symptomatically at home under the guidance of medical personnel.
After the policy adjustment, we need to overcome paralysis, and we need to pay special attention to the monitoring of viral mutation and the monitoring of the use of medical resources, so as to effectively do our job of safeguarding health, reducing serious illnesses, and reducing deaths.