COVID-19 clinical signs, immunity development discussed in Belarus' Academy of Sciences

MINSK, 6 August (BelTA) – Another session of the national interagency working group on overcoming COVID-19 took place in the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB). The session was chaired by Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Vladimir Gusakov. Participants of the session discussed aspects relating to clinical signs of the infection and peculiarities of development of specific immunity, the NASB press service told BelTA.

Over 40 leading scientists of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Healthcare Ministry, higher education institutions specializing in medicine, biology, and chemistry took part in the session. A department head of the Belarusian State Medical University, Doctor of Medicine, Professor Igor Karpov and Director of the NASB's Biophysics and Cell Engineering Institute, Candidate of Medicine Andrei Goncharov presented the main reports.

Scientists drew attention to alarming peculiarities of new varieties of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, modern recommendations on treating grave forms of the disease and on minimizing the complications. Specialists discussed results of studies into the specific cell immunity of patients, who have recovered from COVID-19, and people, who have been vaccinated against the new coronavirus infection.

Participants of the session agreed it is important to promptly disseminate data about new forms of the coronavirus for the sake of timely diagnostics and treatment of clinical signs of the diseases. Peculiarities of development of post-infection and post-vaccination cell immunities were identified.

The press service of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus noted that a collection of reports delivered during sessions of the interagency working group in 2021 will be published.

The national interagency working group on overcoming COVID-19 was established in line with resolution No.223 passed by the office of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus on 18 May 2020. The group includes over 30 specialists representing academic science and university science. Those are leading scientists of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Healthcare Ministry, the Education Ministry, and medicine practitioners from Belarusian healthcare organizations. The group is supposed to organize and coordinate efforts of scientists and healthcare workers of the entire country in the course of practical implementation of measures designed to combat the coronavirus.