Back by Unpopular Demand : XBB Omicron Subvariant

"The number of infections will be less. The severe cases will be certainly less, and deaths will be less, but that could still be a large number."

"Even when we think this is a milder wave, it could still be quite a substantial health impact on the community."

Ben Cowling, epidemiologist, School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong

People walk at the tourism site of Qianmen street in Beijing.  Photograph:(Reuters)

There is no complacency over the vastly lower presence in our consciousness of COVID. Globally, one country after another has declared SARS-CoV-2 to have been established as a constant presence which in its various presentations following mutations veered toward greater infectiousness, but lower infections of serious qualities. It still has been capable of great health injury, and the lingering effects of Long COVID, bedevil the unfortunate, but there are far fewer hospitalizations and deaths. 

 

The everyday cautions in the first few years of the coronavirus pandemic such as mask-wearing and enhanced hygiene along with distancing have been officially relaxed at the very same time that regional health authorities warn that the threat of viral infection remains and with it health risks, counselling those at greatest risk to continue practicing those everyday cautions. 

 

In China, the state's 'zero-COVID' policies, strictly policed, made for abject misery for the population. A population so vexed at the severe restrictions that rebellion was in the air, influencing Beijing's decision to release itself from that draconian policy. And people adjusted to life's ordinary freedoms again following a huge outbreak of large-scale infections, which in the final analysis came close to herd protection against the virus.

 

Yet despite the fact that an immense swath of the population was exposed to the virus at some level said to represent fully 85 percent of the population, a new wave of the coronavirus is spreading throughout China with expectations that it will affect up to 65 million people weekly. The new XBB variant of the virus has evolved to overwhelm the built \-up immunity that resulted from the abrupt lifting of the 'zero COVID' mandate of the Chinese Communist Party.

 

As a result Chinese medical authorities are expediting vaccines, two of which, a Chinese epidemiologist, Zhong Nanshan explained, were designed to overcome the XBB omicron subvariant, have been given initial approval. Speaking at a biotech forum in Guangzhou, Dr. Zhong stated that three to four other vaccines would be approved shortly to address the new outbreak which could become the largest infection wave since the zero-COVID regime was dismantled.

Experts in the United States have not ruled out new variants creating another wave of infections in years to come. An increase in infections has been noted in the U.S. caused by the new variants -- which had no impact on the declaration of the end of the public health emergency on May 11. 

Public health experts feel an aggressive vaccine booster program and a ready supply of antivirals at hospitals are required in prevention of another death spike among China's large elderly population despite the acknowledgement that the new wave is expected to be less severe.  Most residents in China are continuing life as usual, and the government has made no effort to prevent infections, resembling the severe restrictions of previous years.

 

NBC News