历史与新域:新型传染病流行与控制的新叙述

History and New Domain:Novel Narrative on the Spread and Control of the Epidemic

人类在面对埃博拉、新冠肺炎等新型传染病时,生物医学局限已展露无遗,对抗疫意志力和能力的挑战前所未有,而对此的学理解释尚需从历史和现实两个维度再思考。纵观人类社会同传染病斗争的漫长历程,尽管在预防与控制方面取得了巨大进展,但当下处于以某类疾病为主、多类疾病交叉并行的时期,一旦发生新型传染病流行,其危害将超越以往。而新型传染病有着不同于以往传染病的生物—社会文化特征,其无差别流行往往超越国别所处以某类疾病为主的时期,使国际合作更加重要。然而,全球防疫行动往往走向多元,使国际合作被弱化,其重要原因之一即疾病认知和防疫实践多固着于自身所处的以某类疾病流行为主的时期。而处于传染病与慢性病并行时期的中国,之所以相对成功地应对新型传染病,重要原因是防疫理念为内外一体的人民至上和人类卫生健康共同体。总之,新型传染病的流行与防控带来了一些启示,各国应重塑对新型传染病的认知,分享防控经验,重构并坚持全球合作。

In the face of emerging epidemics such as Ebola and COVID-19,limitations of biomedicine have been fully revealed.It brings about unprecedented challenges for both human’s willpower and ability to fight the epidemic.The academic explanation for this phenomenon,therefore,needs to be reconsidered from both dimensions of history and reality.Although great progress has been made in the prevention and control of epidemics in the long course of human society’s fight against the epidemic of infectious diseases,once an emerging infectious disease occurs,its harm will be greater than ever before in the current era,when a certain type of disease dominates while multiple types of diseases spread in parallel.The emerging epidemic generally has different biosocial-cultural characteristics from previous ones,and its universal prevalence in various countries makes international cooperation extremely crucial.However,global antiepidemic actions tend to be diversified and it weakens international cooperation.An important reason is that recognition of disease and prevention practices are prone to be rigid and stereotypical in the era when a certain type of disease dominates.China is successfully controlling the emerging epidemic in the era when infectious diseases co-exist with chronic diseases.One of the important reasons is that the vision of people first and a community of common health for mankind under the unity of internality and externality is fostered in the epidemic prevention and control.In short,countries around the world should update awareness of emerging epidemics,share experiences in epidemic prevention and control,and advocate for consistent global cooperation.