The domestic COVID-19 epidemic is at a low level and influenza infections are falling, but multiple respiratory viruses will continue to circulate during the upcoming Spring Festival holiday, health officials said on 4th of Feb.
Chinese researchers have found that recovered COVID-19 patients still harbor some immune cells that can fend off the virus at least two years after the initial infection, but updated vaccination is essential in boosting immunization against emerging variants.
They noted the presence of residual virus in tissues after infection, cross-reactivity between specific antibodies against the coronavirus and host proteins, leading to autoimmune reactions and other possibilities. However, these hypotheses still need further verification.
Chinese travelers have shown ever-increasing enthusiasm for traveling abroad this year, and the trend is on track to become more prominent for the rest of the year, fueling a growing demand for visa applications.
Despite rising numbers of people on social media claiming to have been infected with COVID-19 for a third time recently, experts have said that those reinfected most likely only had mild symptoms.