As the epidemic heats up in autumn and winter, medical advice: Medical loads need to be deployed in advance | Life | CTWANT

Doctors remind that people who are elderly, have chronic diseases, or have insufficient or low immunity are among the vulnerable groups. Once suspected symptoms appear, it is recommended to use rapid screening tests first and seek medical treatment as soon as possible. The picture shows people going to the Ministry of Health Taoyuan Hospital screening station for rapid screening during the epidemic. (Photo / Newspaper photo)

The global new coronavirus continues to mutate. The World Health Organization listed EG.5 as a variant of interest (VOI) in August this year. Recently, there has been an increasing trend in the United States and Singapore. According to statistics from the CDC, in China in the past four weeks, Monitoring EG.5 The proportion of local cases is gradually increasing, and the new coronavirus epidemic may heat up again. The CDC announced that so far this year, more than 1.7 million people have received antiviral drugs. The current inventory of new coronavirus medical reserves is sufficient and should be strengthened. . Doctors on domestic medical capacity issues have reminded the public to cooperate with vaccinations, self-guided rapid screening, and drug treatment during the mild stage of COVID-19 to avoid worsening hospitalizations. Vulnerable groups, in particular, must not take it lightly to prevent insufficient medical capacity from affecting the treatment of moderate to severe cases.

Huang Jingtai, a professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Taipei Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, believes that as the global COVID-19 epidemic continues to open up, new virus strains are constantly emerging, and there are still cases of severe or even death from COVID-19 in hospitals. Therefore, older people, chronic diseases, insufficient immunity or low immunity Those who are infected belong to a vulnerable group. Once suspected symptoms appear, it is recommended to use rapid screening tests first, seek medical diagnosis as soon as possible, and receive active treatment.

Wang Fude, chairman of the Taiwan Infectious Diseases Society, pointed out that in addition to COVID-19, autumn and winter are also the seasons when respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza are prone to occur. However, COVID-19 is the only one that can be tested by the public on their own. Therefore, it is recommended that vulnerable groups give priority to COVID-19 test if they have symptoms. If the screening reagent test is positive, seek medical treatment and prescribe antiviral drug treatment, which can reduce the occurrence of severe and long COVID.

After the COVID-19 lockdown was lifted, various epidemic prevention measures in medical institutions were gradually relaxed. Huang Jingtai reminded that if hospitals find patients with severe respiratory infections or signs of pneumonia, regardless of whether they are from vulnerable groups, they should still remain highly vigilant, actively use rapid screening or PCR screening for diagnosis, and provide immediate drug treatment to avoid causing more complications. severe illness and death. Wang Fude reminded that vaccination is also an epidemic prevention measure that cannot be relaxed. There is currently a new coronavirus vaccine made using the new mutant strain XBB.1.5. It is expected to be available for vaccination at the end of September. If you are eligible, you must get vaccinated as soon as possible to reduce the risk of severe illness. Influenza vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine will be followed from October.

“In the post-epidemic era, although we can coexist with the virus, it is only suitable for people with good conditions.” New coronavirus pneumonia can be diagnosed through screening and a doctor’s judgment. If oral antiviral drugs can be provided in a timely manner in the mild stage, it can effectively reduce the severity of moderate to severe cases. and risk of hospitalization. In order to avoid overloading the medical capacity due to the rising epidemic situation in autumn and winter, vaccines, rapid screening, and antiviral drugs must be deployed in advance.