reporter learned from Guangdong Disease Control and Prevention that the proportion of influenza-like cases in our province has recently shown an upward trend. Previously, The State Council’s Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism held a press conference. Dong Xiaoping, chief expert of virology at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that has a higher risk of influenza influenza in autumn and winter this year, and there is a high risk of influenza and new coronary pneumonia combined with the epidemic .
WHO (WHO) clearly states that getting influenza vaccination every year is one of the most effective ways to prevent influenza. What are the types of influenza vaccines? Who is suitable for vaccination? In this regard, relevant experts from Guangdong Disease Control and Prevention gave popular scientific answers.
Q: Why should I get the flu vaccine?
A: Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus, which seriously endangers the health of the population. The antigenicity of influenza viruses is variable and spread rapidly. They can cause seasonal epidemics every year. Outbreaks can occur in places where people gather in schools, childcare institutions and nursing homes. Every year, the seasonal epidemic of influenza can cause 3 million to 5 million severe cases and 290,000 to 650,000 respiratory disease-related deaths worldwide. High-risk groups such as pregnant women, infants, the elderly and patients with chronic underlying diseases have a higher risk of serious illness and death after suffering from influenza.
This year, some provinces in southern my country experienced a peak in summer influenza epidemic, and monitoring data in Guangdong Province showed that the epidemic intensity reached the highest level in the same period in the past five years. The peak of influenza in winter and spring is common, and the situation of preventing influenza this winter is still severe.
Q: What are the types of influenza vaccines? Who is suitable for vaccination?
A:
Q: Should the influenza vaccine be vaccinated with 1 or 2 shots?
A: For inactivated influenza vaccine, children aged 6 months to 8 years old who receive influenza vaccine for the first time should receive 2 doses of , with an interval of ≥4 weeks; children who have received 1 dose or more influenza vaccine in 2021-2022 or before, it is recommended to receive 1 doses of ; children aged 9 and above only need to receive 1 doses of .
For live attenuated vaccine, only doses will be given 1 doses, regardless of whether you have received the influenza vaccine. Recipients can voluntarily choose the applicable influenza vaccine based on their age range and receive it according to the procedures.
Q: Do influenza vaccines need to be vaccinated every year?
A: Yes. The epidemic subtype of the influenza virus changes every year and is prone to mutating . Last year's vaccine may not necessarily have a good resistance to this year's virus subtype.
Protective antibodies produced after vaccination generally last for 6 to 8 months and will gradually weaken over time. Only by being vaccinated every year can you gain sustained immunity.
is best to complete the vaccination of one month before the autumn and winter season every year, which can get more timely protection.
Q: Which populations should give priority to influenza vaccination?
A: Medical personnel, including clinical treatment personnel, public health personnel, health quarantine personnel, etc.; participants and security personnel in large-scale events; vulnerable groups and employees in gathering places such as nursing homes, long-term care institutions, welfare homes, etc.; key places, teachers and students in childcare institutions, primary and secondary schools, detainees and staff in prison institutions, etc.; other high-risk groups in influenza, include elderly people aged 60 and above, children aged 6 months to 5 years old, patients with specific chronic diseases, family members and caregivers of babies under 6 months of age, and pregnant women.
Q: Can pregnant and breastfeeding women receive influenza vaccine?
A:A:Pregnant women can receive the influenza vaccine at any stage of pregnancy. It is recommended that as long as the influenza vaccine is supplied this year, they can be vaccinated as soon as possible. Lactation women can also receive influenza vaccination and can breastfeed normally after vaccination.
Q: Can influenza vaccine and new crown vaccine be vaccinated at the same time?
A: "Technical Guidelines for the Prevention of Influenza Vaccine in China (2022-2023)" points out that it is possible for 18 and above to receive inactivated influenza vaccine and new crown vaccine at the same time, and inactivated influenza vaccine and new crown vaccine at both limb vaccination sites on both sides; for people under 18 years old, recommends that the interval between influenza vaccine and new crown vaccine is greater than 14 days .
Q: Can influenza vaccines and other vaccines be used at the same time?
A:WHO recommended inactivated influenza vaccine can be vaccinated with at the same time or in turn with other inactivated vaccines and live attenuated vaccines (such as pneumococcal vaccine, shingles vaccine , chickenpox vaccine, musflower vaccine, diphtheria and tetanus vaccine). can be vaccinated with at the same time or in turn; live influenza attenuated vaccines require to be vaccinated with for more than 28 days to be vaccinated with other live attenuated vaccines.
Q: I am taking anti-influenza virus drugs. Can I get vaccinated?
A: If you are in the acute infection stage, is treated with anti-influenza virus drugs, cannot be vaccinated with during the treatment period; if there are no other vaccination contraindications after recovery, you can be vaccinated. If the anti-influenza virus drug is currently used to prevent influenza, there are no symptoms of fever or other discomforts, and there are no contraindications for vaccination, you can get vaccinated.
[Reporter] Chen Yichun
[Correspondent] Guangdong Disease Control
[Author] Chen Yichun
Guangdong Health Headlines
