Hearing the order and fulfilling the mission (Hundred Years of Struggle and a New Journey, National Honorary Title of “People’s Hero”)
On September 8th last year, the National Commendation Conference for Fighting the New Coronary Pneumonia Epidemic was grandly held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Chen Wei, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a researcher at the Academy of Military Medicine of the Academy of Military Sciences, was awarded the “Hero of the People” National Honorary Medal.
In the fight against the new crown pneumonia epidemic, Chen Wei led the team to make a major contribution: after the new crown pneumonia epidemic, he immediately moved and led the team to Wuhan as soon as possible, and obtained achievements in basic research, vaccines, and protective drug research and development. Significant achievements…
“It is known that there are means, but the unknown is capable.” This is what Chen Wei often talks about. From fighting the SARS epidemic to Wenchuan earthquake relief, from fighting the Ebola epidemic to fighting the new crown pneumonia epidemic, facing urgent, difficult and dangerous tasks, this heroine from Jiangnan Water Village always stood up and gave a share of action. Excellent answer sheet.
“Rush up at critical moments, and take care of the crisis.”
Last August, Chen Wei was on a mission. When she learned that she was awarded the National Honorary Medal of the “People’s Hero”, she said: “This honor belongs to all comrades on the scientific research frontline of epidemic prevention and control in the entire army!”
On January 26 last year, on the fourth day after Wuhan closed the passage from Han to Wuhan, Chen Wei led a military medical expert team to Wuhan urgently to quickly carry out emergency scientific research on topics such as pathogen transmission mutation, rapid detection technology, and vaccine antibody development. Relevant local units have established working mechanisms for joint defense, joint control, joint governance, and joint research.
“The epidemic is the military situation, and the scene is the battlefield.” During the 113 days of fighting the epidemic in Wuhan, Chen Wei led the team to use a number of key achievements to add a decisive victory to the final victory.
Under Chen Wei’s command, in just 24 hours, a negative pressure tent-type mobile laboratory was quickly erected next to the pharmacy building of the General Hospital of the Central Theater District. In this laboratory, the nucleic acid detection time has been greatly shortened, and the nucleic acid detection capacity of 1,000 people per day is rapidly formed;
In order to accelerate the effective integration of scientific research and clinical practice, Chen Wei led scientific researchers to conduct research in the fields of etiology, immunology, aerodynamics, etc., quickly established a virus identification chain, and accurately diagnosed the type of infection in clinical patients. He took the lead in 3 hospitals including Huoshenshan Hospital Hospital promotion and application have effectively improved the accuracy of clinical diagnosis…
There are no heroes who fall from the sky, only mortals who come forward. After seeing the TV news, Chen Wei’s father knew that his daughter had rushed to the front line again. On February 3 last year, Chen Wei squeezed time to make the first phone call since the Chinese New Year at home. Finally waiting for the call, Chen Wei’s parents laughed.
“You must keep your mission in mind, you must be able to rush up at critical moments, and you will be able to survive the crisis. This is the true Communist Party member.” At the military medical expert group’s party joining ceremony, Chen Wei asked the new party scientific research personnel, which is also her duty. And mission understanding.
“I’ll try it out first, if it’s okay, you can try it out again”
In March 2020, at the most critical stage of Wuhan’s epidemic prevention and control and vaccine development, Chen Wei ushered in her birthday. After receiving the blessings of her comrades-in-arms, she replied a message in her busy schedule with only 8 words: “There is no choice but to win!”
Vaccines are the most powerful weapon against the epidemic. Among them, the “recombinant new crown vaccine (adenovirus vector)” developed by Chen Wei’s team is the first vaccine approved to enter clinical trials and has played an important role in stabilizing the morale of the people across the country.
Time to return to Wuhan 19 months ago. Although the adenovirus vector is a mature technology platform, and although the vaccine has passed animal tests, under the conditions at that time, the newly developed new crown vaccine is still full of unknowns.
“I’ll try it first, and if it’s okay, you will try again.” Chen Wei’s face and tone were the same.
An ambulance stopped downstairs and stood by quietly; a bright red party flag was quietly hung on the wall of the injection room. Time passed by every minute and every second. Half an hour after the vaccination, Chen Wei had no adverse reactions, and other members of the team also began to vaccinate. History will remember this moment of charge and victory for Chinese soldiers.
On March 16, 2020, the new crown vaccine developed by the scientific research team led by Chen Wei was approved and officially entered clinical trials; on April 12, the vaccine started phase II clinical trials; on August 11, the vaccine obtained the national invention patent and became The first domestic new crown vaccine to enter clinical practice and obtain patent rights; on February 25, 2021, this type of vaccine was approved by the State Food and Drug Administration for conditional marketing…
“The patent is ours, the original is ours, so we don’t need to look at anyone’s face on any occasion!” In just over 3 months in Wuhan, Chen Wei added a lot of gray hair, but her expression and words remained firm. .
“My team and I will continue to work hard and live up to our mission”
Over the years, Chen Wei’s scientific research results have always been associated with difficult tasks time and time again. This is not the first time that Chen Wei has “handed down” with the virus in this trip to Wuhan.
In 1991, Chen Wei, who had just obtained a master’s degree in engineering from Tsinghua University, joined the army. In the past 30 years, in the battle with the virus, she won one medal after another.
During the fight against SARS in 2003, Chen Wei and the research team entered the biosafety laboratory overnight, often working in the laboratory for more than ten or even dozens of hours. A few months later, the “recombinant human interferon ω” developed by the team has a better protective effect against SARS virus attacks.
In 2014, there was a large-scale Ebola outbreak in West Africa and it spread quickly. At that time, there were no Ebola cases in China, and Chen Wei also stepped forward and led the team to Africa. In December of the same year, Chen Wei led his team to develop the world‘s first 2014 genotype Ebola vaccine.
Since joining the army, Chen Wei’s research objects have been diseases that ordinary people can’t avoid. It is precisely because of her long-term experience in dealing with viruses that she and the scientific research team were able to develop a vaccine and put it into clinical trials as soon as possible during the new crown pneumonia epidemic.
“As a military medical scientific researcher, I particularly hope that our scientific research’battleship’ can ride the wind and waves, and travel steadily and far.” Chen Wei said: “My team and I will continue to work hard and live up to our mission.”
“People’s Daily” (version 06, September 08, 2021)
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