Zhong Nanshan said that the domestic COVID-19 drug is very effective and intervention must be started within 3-5 days of symptoms appearing.

On May 24th, at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Guangzhou Science and Technology Week, Chinese Academy of Engineering academician and director of the Guangzhou National Laboratory, Zhong Nanshan, connected via cloud link to share the latest research on the current round of the COVID-19 pandemic with the public. Zhong Nanshan pointed out that the highly infectious XDV strain of the current COVID-19 outbreak has symptoms similar to those of influenza, but with more prominent sore throat symptoms. "Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic is still at its peak," Zhong Nanshan said, noting that monitoring data from Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, and Norway from early March to early May all show an increasing trend in the number of people infected with the coronavirus. "It is important to pay special attention to the elderly population. If high fever and overall fatigue are present, it is necessary to promptly test whether it is caused by influenza or COVID-19, as both have good medications for symptomatic treatment," Zhong Nanshan said, mentioning that domestically produced COVID-19 medications, such as Lopinavir tablets, are already very effective. However, all medications need to be started within 3-5 days of symptoms appearing, with priority given to high-risk individuals in critical condition for early intervention.