Big news! The new coronavirus has been renamed and "Class B and Class B management" will be implemented! How can we protect ourselves?

On December 26, the National Health Commission issued an announcement:

🔴 Rename the novel coronavirus pneumonia to novel coronavirus infection ;

🔴 Starting from January 8, 2023, "Class B Management" will be implemented for novel coronavirus infection.

Why the name change?

What does “Class B pipe” mean?

What is the difference between it and “Class B Class A pipe”?

What impact will the future have on our lives?

Let’s take a look at the latest news!

No more "pneumonia" due to COVID-19 infection

According to the National Health Commission, it was named "new coronary pneumonia" in the early stage, mainly because most cases in the early stage of the epidemic showed symptoms of pneumonia. After the Omicron variant became the main prevalent strain, its pathogenicity weakened, and only a very small number of cases showed symptoms of pneumonia .

Considering that pneumonia only reflects a more serious illness after viral infection and cannot summarize the clinical characteristics of all infected people, it will be renamed "new coronavirus pneumonia" as "new coronavirus infection" which is more in line with the current disease characteristics and hazards.

What does “Class B pipe” mean?

Currently, there are 40 statutory infectious diseases in my country, which are divided into three categories, namely Class A infectious diseases, Class B infectious diseases and Class C infectious diseases.

The only Class A infectious diseases are plague and cholera. Once such infectious diseases are discovered, the time limits for reporting the epidemic, the isolation and treatment of patients and pathogen carriers, and the handling of epidemic sites and areas are all mandatory.

The main measures include:

(1) Patients and pathogen carriers shall be isolated for treatment, with the isolation period to be determined based on the results of medical examinations;

(2) Suspected patients shall be isolated and treated in designated places before being confirmed;

(3) Patients, pathogen carriers, and close contacts of suspected patients in medical institutions shall be placed under medical observation in designated locations and other necessary preventive measures shall be taken.

There are 27 Class B infectious diseases, including the well-known AIDS, viral hepatitis, rabies, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, syphilis, etc.

There are 11 Class C infectious diseases, such as influenza, mumps, rubella, etc.

For Class B and Class C infectious diseases, strict control measures are required, and patients can generally be treated in the corresponding routine outpatient clinics of medical institutions (such as infectious diseases, dermatology and venereology, etc.).

Although the new coronavirus was classified as a Class B infectious disease when it was first discovered , it has been managed as a Class A infectious disease due to the lack of understanding of its viral characteristics, epidemiological features, and hazards to life and health.

▶ Now the incubation period of the novel coronavirus is shorter and its pathogenicity is significantly reduced, and it will gradually evolve into a common respiratory infectious disease;

▶ Although the number of infections is large, asymptomatic infections and mild cases account for more than 90%, and the severity and mortality rates are extremely low;

▶ More than 3.4 billion doses of vaccine have been administered, and the full vaccination rate for people over 3 years old exceeds 90%; progress has been made in drug research and development; experience in epidemic prevention and control and disposal has been accumulated, and prevention and control capabilities have been significantly improved.

Taking all the above factors into consideration, the novel coronavirus infection has met the conditions for adjustment from "Class B A Management" to "Class B B Management".

Will it be “fully liberalized” in the future?

The adjustment of the new coronavirus infection to "Class B and Controlled Level" does not mean that it will be left unattended , nor does it mean the withdrawal of all prevention and control measures. Instead, it means strengthening services and strengthening guarantees.

How will “Class B Management” be managed specifically?

Let’s watch it together👇

2022 is about to end. We have experienced and witnessed the epidemic together over the past three years. As the new year is approaching, we should continue to wear masks, wash hands diligently, ventilate frequently, and be good guardians of the health of ourselves and our families.

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