Will the new Omicron sublineage XBB cause a new round of pandemic?
COVID-19 patients leave Minhang District Central Hospital.
There are concerns in China about the fast spreading Omicron XBB.1.5 in the US, just days before the country begins to adjust its quarantine policy for inbound travelers on January 8.
Netizens fear that the new sublineage, said to be more transmissible and aggressive to the brain, heart, and digestive systems than its predecessors, will cause a new round of pandemic with severe symptoms.
A common antidiarrheal medicine, montmorillonite powder, has already sold out at most online and offline pharmacies, while the Weibo microblogging sites heavily debate whether the new subvariant XBB will affect the brain and heart or cause diarrhea. Or whether people will be more susceptible to reinfection with XBB?
Wang Xinyu, deputy director of the infectious disease department of Shanghai Huashan Hospital, responded to frequently asked questions regarding the recently discovered Omicron sublineage XBB.
Q1: Where was the XBB sulineage initially found and where is it spreading?
A: XBB was initially found in India in August 2022 and named by scientists in September. It was considered a recombination of Omicron BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75. XBB has two subvariants, XBB.1 and XBB.1.5, which have been rapidly spreading in Europe and the United States. Though the XBB.1.5 has become the dominant sublineage in some countries, the symptoms it caused are no severer than other Omicron subvariants.
Q2: Will people get more easily reinfected with XBB, compared with the current dominant BA.5.2 and BF.7 in China?
A: There is a very low possibility that people will become infected with XBB after being infected with BA.5.2 and BF.7.
Q3: Has XBB been spreading domestically?
A: The dominant subvariants in China remain the BA.5.2 and BF.7, according to the statistics in December 2022. The small number of XBB cases here was found among imported infections. The symptoms of XBB are almost the same as those of other Omicron sublineages.
Medical workers transport patients at Minhang District Central Hospital.
Q4: Will XBB mainly attack the digestive system and cause diarrhea?
A: Digestive symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea are common for COVID-19 patients. XBB could cause diarrhea, but it is not any worse than other Omicron subvariants. XBB mainly invades the respiratory tract, rather than the digestive system.
Q5: Will XBB affect the brain and cause cerebral diseases?
A: Mesencephalitis is one of the rare complications of COVID-19. Though the symptoms are serious, there is a very low possibility of that happening. Patients might feel forgetful and have low work efficiency, which are not considered as COVID-19 sequelae.
Q6: Is it necessary to stock antidiarrheal medicines at home?
A: The diarrhea caused by COVID-19 is normally mild and does not need any medicine. People suffering from severe diarrhea should mainly supplement with liquid and electrolytes rather than antidiarrheal or antibacterial drugs.
Q7: Is it still necessary to wear a mask when going out as more and more people seem to have recovered from COVID-19?
A: People should maintain good health habits, such as wearing masks and keeping social distance, to prevent various respiratory infectious diseases in the winter and spring seasons.
Q8: Will spitting spread COVID-19?
A: Spitting not only spreads COVID-19 but also pathogens from other respiratory infections. Every citizen should avoid spitting in public places.
Q9: How do we deal with the rapidly changing COVID-19 strains?
A: There is no need to feel anxious because new COVID-19 strains will surely keep appearing and replacing the old strains as long as the pandemic is ongoing. Public health and medical workers must be alert and monitor the popular local strains. If any new strain causes an increase in the number of infections and death rates, some non-medicine-related measures will be taken to avoid putting too much pressure on the medical resources.
