Too early to label Omicron infections as 'big flu:' leading Chinese expert

BEIJING -- It is too early to label Omicron variant infections as "big flu," a leading Chinese epidemiologist told Xinhua in the latest interview.

For individuals, the risk of severe symptoms caused by Omicron may decrease, but the virus spreads quickly, said Liang Wannian, head of the COVID-19 response expert panel under China's National Health Commission (NHC).

"If there is a large absolute number of people infected, the number of severe cases and deaths in the population as a whole will be high, which can still inflict great harm," he noted.

Liang stressed that the essence of China's dynamic zero-COVID approach is a swift response and targeted response measures.

"Once an outbreak is detected, we have a range of ways to nip it in the bud," he said. "The key lies in ensuring its early detection and disposal."

Liang warned against any slackness, hesitation, or the mentality of taking chances in the anti-COVID fight, saying that the virus can spread exponentially if it had not been detected in a timely manner or intervened immediately.

The dynamic zero-COVID approach, the Chinese public health policy that has been implemented to fight the coronavirus over the past two years, has proved to be effective in striking a good balance between epidemic prevention and control, economic, and social development, according to Liang.