Recently, many people on social media have shared the news of "Eryang". At the same time, new cases of infection with the XBB.1.16 variant have also occurred in some areas.
These news made the public's originally somewhat relaxed nerves tense again, and many netizens began to worry, is the second wave of infection coming? Can the elderly in the family bear it?
The symptoms of the new crown "two yang" are generally mild
As we all know, any virus evolves and mutates during transmission, and XBB.1.16 is a recombinant variant of the new coronavirus Omicron.
Currently, XBB.1.16 has developed transmission in some countries. According to the latest epidemic surveillance results released by China Disease Control, as of April 20, a total of 42 cases of XBB.1.16 variant have been monitored in mainland China.
Now, four months after the peak of the first wave of infections on the mainland, and the rise of XBB strains, we have to worry about whether the second wave is coming.
In this regard, Li Tong, chief physician of the comprehensive department of infection of Beijing You'an Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, once said that with the extension of time after infection, the risk of secondary infection is increasing, especially in the second half of the year, the virus is mutating, and the people's resistance is also declining.
"Although the risk of secondary infection will gradually increase, it will not be as large as the first time that there will be a large number of people infected. And the peak of the epidemic after that will not be as obvious as before, and may show a slower peak."
Li Tong once said that secondary infection will have milder symptoms for most immunocompetent people.
Elderly patients with chronic diseases are at high risk of severe disease
Although most people have mild symptoms of secondary infection than the first infection, the severity of secondary infection also depends on a variety of factors, such as the pathogenicity of the virus strain, the body's own immunity, and the presence or absence of underlying diseases, which may affect the severity of new crown symptoms.
Especially in the elderly, people with underlying medical conditions, and immunocompromised people, each infection can progress to severe disease. This is mainly because the elderly have relatively poor physical immunity and are less able to withstand the blows of the virus.
In addition, the elderly often have a variety of underlying diseases, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, etc., these diseases themselves will produce a certain burden on the body, if attacked by the new coronavirus, it will lead to more serious symptoms of the original disease or more likely to have comorbidities.
It has been more than half a year since the last infection in the elderly population, the resistance will decline faster, and the risk of secondary infection will also increase, especially in the face of XBB.1.16, a strain with strong immune evasion ability.
Do these things well and reduce the risk of "two yang"
The elderly have always been the high-risk group that has been hit the hardest by the new crown epidemic, and if the emergence of a second wave of the epidemic is inevitable, then we need to think more about how to respond.
First of all, there is no need to panic psychologically. Although the second wave of the outbreak may have been caused by different variants, the Omicron substrain is similar in terms of pathogenicity and symptoms, and we should look at it scientifically and not believe the rumors about "special symptoms" on the Internet.
In terms of specific countermeasures, different groups of people should consider differentiated means of protection.
Most healthy young people have a low risk of severe disease after initial infection and vaccination, and in addition to daily protection, prepare some commonly used antipyretic analgesic and expectorant antitussive drugs.
However, for high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with underlying diseases, the risk of severe disease of the new crown will be higher. Vaccination remains the safest and most reliable option for high-risk groups, and in addition to preventing infection, vaccines also play a positive role in preventing severe disease and reducing mortality.
In terms of personal protective measures, older people should minimize going out and wear masks when going out. If family members have more contact with society, they can reduce the number of unnecessary visits and reduce the risk of infection.
In addition, the elderly also need to do a good job of monitoring body temperature, blood sugar, blood pressure, and the elderly with underlying diseases should take medicine on time. If you find that the elderly at home have fever, fatigue and other symptoms that may be infected, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
In response to secondary infection of the new crown, strengthening the protection of vulnerable people is key. From basic protective measures, to vaccination, to health monitoring, a multi-pronged approach can build a strong "epidemic prevention wall" for the elderly.
Source: Guangming Network, Health Times, China News Service, People's Daily Health Client, China Center for Disease Control and Prevention