text/Yangcheng Evening News All-Media Reporter Zhang Hua
Correspondent He Yuhang
Photo/Visual China
In the golden autumn October, my country ushered in the 12th "Respect for the Elderly". Double Ninth Festival, filial piety and respect for relatives is a tradition of the festival. In the normalized prevention and control of the new coronavirus epidemic in my country, the elderly are high-risk people for the new coronavirus infection and the key group for prevention and control. The United Nations released a report in May last year saying that 95% of the death toll from COVID-19 in Europe are over 60 years old. Starting from July this year, Guangdong has provided free COVID-19 vaccination services for the elderly over 60 years old.
In fact, not only are the susceptible to COVID-19, but the immunity of middle-aged and elderly people continues to decline as they grow older, but they are also susceptible to many diseases. However, many elderly friends have misunderstandings about vaccination, and their awareness of vaccination in adults needs to be improved.
reporter interviewed Zheng Huizhen, chief expert in preventive medical disease control in Guangdong Province, and asked her to answer common questions about vaccination for the elderly.
▲The vaccination awareness of the elderly needs to be improved even if it is urgently needed to improve the picture/Visual China
Question 1. Which vaccines are recommended for the elderly to vaccinate?
Zheng Huizhen: In addition to the new coronavirus infection, other vaccines can prevent diseases, including influenza, streptococcal diseases of pneumonia and shingles, which are also issues that the elderly need to pay attention to. It is recommended that the elderly receive the following vaccines:
(I) New Coronavirus Vaccine
60 and above have a higher risk of severe illness and death after being infected with the new coronavirus than young people. Clinical research data show that the new coronavirus vaccine will also have a good protective effect and good safety for people aged 60 and above. It is recommended that people who meet the conditions receive the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible without any contraindications.
(II) Influenza vaccine
Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus infection. The main symptoms include high fever, sore throat, cough, headache, etc. The elderly have severe illness and high risk of death after suffering from influenza. Both the World Health Organization and authoritative agencies of various countries believe that influenza vaccination is the most effective means to prevent influenza. The elderly at home and patients with chronic diseases who are 60 years old and above are preferred vaccination targets.
In order to ensure that recipients receive immune protection before the high incidence of influenza season, it is recommended that the vaccination is best completed before the end of October each year, and those who have not been vaccinated before the end of October can be vaccinated throughout the epidemic season. Since influenza viruses are prone to mutation and the protective antibodies produced after vaccination generally last for 6-8 months, it is recommended to receive them once a year.
(III) 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine
pneumoniae pneumoniae pneumonia is widely distributed in nature and is an important conditional pathogenic bacteria. It is parasitized in the nasopharynx of a healthy person and is not pathogenic under normal circumstances. When the parasitic environment changes, such as when the body's resistance decreases, after being infected with respiratory viruses such as new coronary pneumonia, influenza, or in malnutrition or in the elderly, Streptococcus pneumonia will undergo invasive infection through the mucosal defense system, causing pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, etc.
WHO lists pneumococcal disease as a "very high priority" disease that requires vaccines to prevent. Vaccination with pneumococcal vaccine is the most effective way to prevent pneumococcal diseases. Recommended for elderly people aged 60 and above.
(IV) Recombinant shingles vaccine
shingles (commonly known as: loin-wrapped dragon, snake-wrapped waist, snake-bred snake, etc.) is an infectious skin disease caused by the varicella-shing virus. US data shows that about one-third of people suffer from shingles throughout their lives. Age is the most important risk factor for shingles. People over 50 years old are prone to attack. The older they are, the more likely they are to get sick, and the more serious the condition is. Chronic patients and people with low immune function have a higher risk of disease. Vaccination is an effective way to prevent shingles.
Recombinant shingles vaccine is an adult aged ≥50 years old, and 2 doses are given, with 2 months between the second dose and the first dose. If the immunization procedure needs to be changed, the second dose will be given between 2-6 months after the first dose. Patients who have suffered from shingles can also receive shingles vaccine.
Question 2. Can I get vaccinated if I suffer from chronic diseases?
Zheng Huizhen: People with stable health status and good drug control are not considered as contraindicated groups for vaccination, and vaccination is recommended. It is recommended for people with severe chronic diseases to bring recent physical examination reports, medical records and other materials. After comprehensive evaluation by the clinician at the vaccination site, vaccination suggestions will be made based on the risk-reward ratio and other conditions.
Question 3. How high is the incidence of adverse reactions in vaccination?
Zheng Huizhen: After all, vaccine is a foreign body for the human body. While inducing the human immune system to produce protective power for specific diseases, due to the biological characteristics of the vaccine and the individual differences in the human body (health status, allergic constitution, immune insufficiency, mental factors, etc.), a few vaccinated people will have adverse reactions. Most of them can heal themselves or only need general treatment, such as local symptoms such as local redness, swelling, pain, and nodules, or symptoms such as fever and fatigue, which will not cause damage to the tissues, organs and functions of the recipient. Only a few people may experience abnormal reactions, but the incidence is extremely low.
In recent years, my country has administered about 1 billion doses every year, but after investigation and diagnosis, there are few abnormal reactions related to vaccination and are relatively serious, and the incidence is very low.
▲It is recommended to get influenza vaccine before the end of October Picture/Visual China
Question 4. After vaccination, you must not be infected?
Zheng Huizhen: is not necessarily. Vaccination is the most economical and effective means to prevent and control infectious diseases, but the success rate is not 100%, and the protection rate of most vaccines is >80%. Due to special reasons of the individual recipient, such as low immune response ability, it can lead to failure of immunity after vaccination. However, a large number of studies have proved that even if the disease occurs after vaccination, the clinical manifestations after the disease are much lighter than those who do not get vaccinated.
After reading the above answer, I believe everyone has a certain understanding of vaccination for the elderly. It is the Double Ninth Festival, and the good month for respecting the elderly. Let us take action and give our parents the most special gift to vaccinate adults in order to protect the health of the elderly in our family!
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