Omi kerong swept through 9 countries and regions in 5 days, how to prevent it? Academician Li Lanjuan said so

(People's Daily health client Wang Aibing) in South Africa for the first time confirmed the mutant strain "Aomi Kerong" once found, has been listed by the world as the primary prevention and control strain, according to the Health Times previously reported, from November 24 South Africa reported the new crown virus variant B.1.1.529 - Aomi Kerong, within 5 days at least Botswana, Belgium, Israel, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, China Hong Kong and other 9 countries and regions have reported the discovery of the new variant strain.

Academician Li Lanjuan (left). Courtesy of respondents

Why should Aomi Kerong pay close attention? How harmful is it? Is the current vaccine in China effective against this mutant strain? The People's Daily Health Client exclusively interviewed Li Lanjuan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of the State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Diagnosis and Treatment.

People's Daily Health Client: What does it mean that the World Health Organization has identified the Omicron variant as requiring close attention to the strain?

Academician Li Lanjuan: The World Health Organization recently held a meeting to discuss the new variant of the virus B.1.1.529 in South Africa, which was listed as "worthy of attention". B.1.1.529 was first detected on 11 November in Botswana, a neighbouring country to South Africa. According to available virological analysis data, 90% of COVID-19 infections in South Africa's Gauteng province may already be this mutated strain, and it "probably already exists in most provinces of South Africa". The time from B.1.1.529 to becoming an endemic dominant strain in some provinces of South Africa is less than half a month, indicating that the Omicron strain has a higher transmission efficiency in the population, and it is based on this that the World Health Organization identified the Omicron strain as a strain that needs to be paid close attention to, which means that the World Health Organization believes that it may have higher transmission, or increase the risk of severe illness, or reduce the effectiveness of current diagnoses, vaccines and therapies.

People's Daily Health Client: At present, how harmful is the Omicron variant strain, can it be clear?

Academician Li Lanjuan: At present, there are fewer harmful studies and reports on The Omicron strain, the World Health Organization has identified the Omicron strain as the purpose of paying close attention to the strain, and also recommends that countries strengthen the sequencing, monitoring, and epidemiological tracking of Omicron. Virus mutation is an objective law, the spike protein of the coronavirus is the key protein that mediates the virus into human cells, and it is also the main target molecule of vaccine design, the virus in order to adapt to the environment and the human body, better survive, mutation and even evolution, it is possible to enhance the spread and virulence, increase pathogenicity, but the mutation may also weaken the pathogenicity on the contrary, and the harm of the Omicron variant strain needs a period of observation to evaluate.

People's Daily health client: Omicron mutant strain spreads fast, has been found in South Africa, Belgium, Hong Kong and other 9 countries and regions, the current Chinese epidemic prevention and control policy needs to undergo some changes?

Academician Li Lanjuan: Through two years of fighting the epidemic, China has successfully established a set of effective accurate experience in foreign defense imports, and China is neither paralyzed nor panicked. However, it is still necessary to continue to strengthen the accurate management of overseas imported personnel, especially for personnel from countries with serious epidemics to strengthen nucleic acid testing and achieve closed-loop management; in addition, to strengthen the detection and management of imported goods, and at the same time strengthen the health monitoring of people engaged in import and export such as logistics, customs and cold chain work, to ensure that the chain of imported "material transmission to people" is blocked at the first time.

People's Daily Health Client: At present, will the Omicron variant affect the effectiveness of vaccination in China?

Academician Li Lanjuan: The coronavirus has more than 29,900 bases, and there are currently more than 30 mutations, which is not too big, do not panic, and continue to strengthen monitoring and sequencing. Viral variants can reduce the protective effect of neutralizing antibodies induced by vaccines, but the effects of vaccines should still exist, and little is known about the Omicron variant, and it will take time to assess their infectivity, causativeness, and effect on vaccines. In addition, the virus has been mutating, and we should continue to strengthen the development of vaccines and drugs for the new coronavirus variant.

People's Daily Health Client: What do we need to do for the Omicron variant?

Academician Li Lanjuan: China has accumulated rich anti-epidemic experience in the stage of normalization of epidemic prevention and control, and it is necessary to continue to adhere to China's normalized prevention and control strategy of "external prevention of import and internal prevention and rebound", and at the same time strengthen the monitoring of mutated strains. In view of the emerging mutant strains, the people do not need to be particularly worried, ordinary people should actively cooperate with the government's epidemic prevention work, insist on not leaving the country unless necessary, reduce unnecessary travel, and actively vaccinate against the new crown.