“New Crown Epidemic Expected to Surge in Mainland China, Zhong Nanshan Warns of Difficulty in Prevention”

Zhong Nanshan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and an expert in respiratory diseases, revealed that the new crown epidemic in the mainland is raging again. It is expected that the number of cases will increase from 40 million per week by the end of this month to 65 million by the end of next month. He pointed out that one person infected with Omicron can infect more than 30 people. “Infection is difficult to prevent.” At present, two new crown vaccines against the Omicron XBB variant virus have been initially approved, and three or four new crown variant vaccines will be approved .

Zhong Nanshan said at the 2023 Greater Bay Area Science Forum initiated by the “Belt and Road” International Science Organization Alliance and hosted by the Guangdong Provincial People’s Government that according to the SEIRS model, the second wave of the new crown epidemic this year will be 40 million cases per week starting from the end of this month. , peaking at about 65 million by the end of next month. As for the small peak of the epidemic from the end of last month to the beginning of this month, the authorities have already predicted it. In the face of the new wave of epidemics, Zhong Nanshan said: “(China’s) prevention and control strategy has been adjusted from the prevention of infection in the past to the prevention of severe disease now, because infection is difficult to prevent.”

China’s vaccine development is ahead of the world

Zhong Nanshan emphasized that it is very important to develop a new crown vaccine against the XBB mutant virus strain. He also pointed out that a total of 5 to 6 XBB mutant virus strain vaccines are about to be or have been initially approved. “We can go ahead of the international research on more effective vaccines. Yes.” The World Health Organization (WHO) advisory group last Thursday strengthened its recommendation on this year’s new crown vaccine, suggesting that the vaccine should mainly target the currently dominant XBB variant strain

Originally published on AM730