Why is the new crown outbreak returning to Category B management after nearly three years of prevention and control? Authoritative interpretation

With the weakening of the pathogenicity of the Omicron virus, the popularization of vaccination, and the accumulation of experience in prevention and control, the prevention and control of the epidemic in China 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 “Category B A” to “Category 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 “Category B A control” has been nearly three years of control policy, this time why adjusted to “Category B B control”? 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 after the adjustment? The State Council joint prevention and control mechanism invited authoritative experts, the National Health Commission, the new crown outbreak 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 “Class B A” to “Class B B”?

A: Classification and management has always been China's strategy for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, has been the implementation of dynamic adjustment, according to the law and scientific management has always been the basic principle of China's response to infectious diseases.

Currently, there are 40 types of statutory infectious diseases in China, including 2 types of Category A, 27 types of Category B and 11 types of Category C. The first category includes the bubonic plague, the plague, the plague and the plague. Category A infectious diseases include plague and cholera. Category B infectious diseases include new coronavirus pneumonia, infectious atypical pneumonia and AIDS. 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 are monitored and managed infectious diseases, including influenza.

Relevant conditions must be in place for adjusting the classification of infectious diseases from “Category B, Management A” to “Category B, Management B”. Decisions are made in accordance with the law, on the basis of knowledge of pathogens, the nature and dangers of diseases, the immunity of the population and the resistance of the health system, the current state of the epidemic and its future course, and by gathering the wisdom of experts and drawing on domestic and international experience, and by taking into account a combination of factors from all perspectives.

From the legal point of view, when an infectious disease may cause serious harm to the human health and life safety of citizens, and may cause significant economic losses and social impact, the State may take high-intensity intervention measures for citizens and society. However, when the harm of an infectious disease to human health and life safety is weakened, and the impact on the economy and society is reduced, the state should dynamically adjust the intensity of interventions to ensure that infectious disease prevention and control measures are optimized and adjusted according to the time and situation.

When a new infectious disease emerges, 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, China has effectively responded to the new infectious diseases since the 2003 infectious atypical pneumonia, the 2005 highly pathogenic avian influenza infection, and the 2009 Influenza A (H1N1). The experience and practice is to include them in Category B infectious diseases but implement control measures for Category A infectious diseases at the first time. 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 medicines, and 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, whereas Influenza A (H1N1) has been incorporated into influenza and monitored and managed in accordance with the measures for Class C infectious diseases. monitoring and management.

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 more widely, will this be the case? What will be the focus of epidemic prevention and control in the future?

A: After the adjustment, corresponding adjustments will be made in the isolation of infected persons and close personnel, blockade of infected areas, transportation and health quarantine and other prevention and control measures. For Category B infectious diseases, the source of infection and close contacts are generally no longer under strict isolation management, therefore, in the early stage of the adjustment of preventive and control measures may increase the number of new cases of coronavirus infection, which in turn may lead to insufficient supply of medicines, public panic and other phenomena, for this reason, we are actively preparing a response program for these risks to ensure a smooth transition of the adjustment.

At present, 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 vaccination, personal protection and timely treatment of infected people at high risk of serious illnesses, such as the elderly and people with underlying diseases, in order to minimize serious illnesses and deaths.

In order to effectively prevent risks, it is necessary to take the following measures: First, strengthen vaccination, especially for the elderly, people with chronic diseases and other groups. The second is to strengthen the security of drug supply. Third, encourage asymptomatic infected persons and light cases with conditions for home isolation to give priority to home isolation and treatment through online health counseling and popularization of rational drug use. 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, we should strengthen the monitoring of virus mutation, disease severity, and the utilization 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 status?

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 the infection, and the changes in the international epidemic situation, in order to better adapt to the new situation of epidemic prevention and control and the new situation of the new coronavirus mutation. The decision was made in order to better adapt to the new situation of epidemic prevention and control and the new characteristics of the mutated strain of the new coronavirus, to make efficient use of prevention and control resources, to better coordinate the prevention and control of the epidemic and economic and social development, to better safeguard normal production and life, and to minimize the impact of the epidemic on economic and social development.

At present, 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 epidemic will usher in the peak time will vary from place to place, the next period of time around the epidemic will face 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, and do everything possible to reduce the number of serious illnesses and deaths, so as to safeguard people's health; on the other hand, it is especially necessary for members of the public to do a good job of personal protection, continue to cooperate in the implementation of relevant preventive and control measures, and to reduce the mobility and congregation, so as to minimize the impact of the peak of epidemics in the short term on health care resources.

Q: Why do you think we have the basic conditions for reclassification to “Category B B”?

A: The decision to reclassify neo-coronavirus infection from “Category B-A” to “Category B-B” was made by gathering the wisdom of experts, drawing on domestic and international experience, and taking into account various 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 anti-epidemic work in the past three years 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 have been significantly weakened compared with the original strain and other variant strains of concern.

Second, vaccination against the new coronavirus has been popularized. To date, a total of more than 3.4 billion doses of neocoronavirus vaccine have been reported nationwide, covering more than 92% and 90% of the country's total population, respectively.

Third, medical treatment capacity has been upgraded. 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, we have been able to coordinate the rescue and treatment of neocoronavirus-infected patients and the protection of their daily medical services.

Fourth, China has the capacity to produce and supply anti-coronavirus drugs, including traditional Chinese and Western medicines.

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 drugs 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 have to overcome the paralyzing thought, especially need to pay attention to the monitoring of virus mutation and the monitoring of the use of medical resources, and do a good job in safeguarding health, reducing serious illnesses and reducing deaths.

Article retrieved from Guangdong People's Government website: http://www.gd.gov.cn/gdywdt/zwzt/yqfk/ywjj/content/post_4071246.html

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