Is a flu vaccine hard to find?

Don't worry, it can be vaccinated throughout the epidemic season

　　In this winter and next spring, the new crown pneumonia epidemic and influenza and other respiratory infectious diseases may overlap. Influenza vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza, which can reduce the harm caused by influenza-related diseases and the occupation of medical resources.

　　Our reporter Jinfeng

　　"Parents, all the flu vaccines have been taken, and we will notify you next time when we come to the vaccine." Ms. Guo, a citizen of Qingdao, Shandong Province, originally planned to take her one and a half year old daughter to the Fuxin Community Vaccination Clinic in Qingdao City for flu vaccines. , As a result, this WeChat group announcement came first.

　　"Last year, you didn't need to make an appointment to go directly to get the vaccine, but you may not be able to get the vaccine if you make an appointment this year. I don't know if you have to wait until next year." Ms. Guo said.

　　In a community hospital in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, from the end of September to October 16th, about 400 people have been vaccinated against influenza, while only about 600 children and adults over 3 years old were vaccinated in the hospital last autumn and winter.

　　This year, the global epidemic of new crown pneumonia will continue.

The "Technical Guidelines for Influenza Vaccination in China (2020-2021)" shows that the new crown pneumonia epidemic and influenza and other respiratory infectious diseases may overlap this winter and next spring, and influenza vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza, which can reduce The harm caused by influenza-related diseases and the occupation of medical resources.

　　More than 700 flu vaccines finished in 4 afternoons

　　"This year there are obviously more residents who intend to get the flu vaccine. There are about 80,000 residents in our community. In the past, about 500-700 children and adults over the age of 3 were vaccinated. However, the first batch of flu vaccines started this year from the end of September. After it is in place, more than 40 children under 3 years old and about 300 children and adults over 3 years old have been vaccinated, and many residents are still making appointments." A Computer and Immunity Department of a community hospital in Jianye District, Nanjing In an interview with a reporter from Science and Technology Daily, the director said that in his more than ten years of flu vaccination, this year's "booming" vaccination demand is rare.

　　The flu vaccine, which was in low demand in previous years, has become the "darling" this year, making many community vaccination sites caught off guard.

When the reporter visited a community vaccination clinic in Qingdao, a staff member said that last year, only more than 1,000 adult influenza vaccines were vaccinated, and some vaccines were not used up and returned to higher authorities. However, the first batch of adult influenza vaccines arrived at the end of August this year. After the goods were delivered, more than 700 bottles were vaccinated in only 4 afternoons, and there are still more than 1,000 residents who have made an appointment.

　　At the 2020 National Pharmaceutical Industry Information Annual Conference on August 30, Zhang Hui, vice president of the China Food and Drug Administration, mentioned this year’s influenza vaccine supply, and said that in 2019, 6 companies produced 2 A total of 30.7842 million bottles (bottles) of influenza vaccines, an increase of 90.6% compared to 2018.

"So far this year, more than 30 million copies have been issued, and it is estimated that there will be 50 million copies before the onset of the flu season next month."

　　At present, the influenza vaccination rate in my country is not high. Estimated from the number of batches issued in recent years, the vaccination rate is about 2%. The deputy chief physician of the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Acute Infectious Diseases said that for a long time, many people It is believed that influenza is not a serious disease, and even the difference between influenza and the common cold cannot be distinguished. There are still people who have misunderstandings about the safety and effectiveness of influenza vaccines.

At the same time, the flu vaccine is a second-class vaccine that is vaccinated at its own expense, and there is no medical insurance support, resulting in low willingness to vaccinate some people.

　　However, people’s awareness of prevention has increased this year, as well as the appeals of some experts and popular science, so there is a strong demand for influenza vaccines.

"However, companies generally make production plans for the next year based on the purchase volume of the previous year, and the company's production lines are relatively fixed. Adding new production lines needs to be laid out about one year in advance, which causes a misalignment of supply and demand." An industry expert Tell a reporter from Science and Technology Daily.

Beware of the risk of infection after being vaccinated

　　Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus. The seasonal influenza epidemic can cause 3 to 5 million severe cases worldwide each year, and at the same time cause 290,000 to 650,000 deaths caused by related respiratory diseases.

　　The influenza vaccines approved for marketing in my country include trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine, quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine and trivalent live attenuated vaccine.

The trivalent vaccine can prevent three types of influenza viruses, H1N1, H3N2, and BV. On this basis, the quadrivalent vaccine also contains the BY type influenza virus immune antigen.

　　Will I still get the flu after getting the flu vaccine?

According to the license, studies have shown that inactivated influenza vaccines are immunogenic in healthy adults. In healthy adults, according to a systematic review of randomized controlled trials, it is estimated that vaccination of inactivated influenza vaccines can prevent part of the confirmed influenza; when the vaccine strains and epidemic When the strains are matched, vaccination with inactivated influenza vaccine can reduce some influenza-like cases.

　　"But you have to beware of the risk of influenza when you get the flu vaccine." said Li Jun, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital. If you are infected with the flu virus shortly after vaccination and your body has not produced enough antibodies at that time, it is possible "Hit" and become a flu patient.

In addition, although antibodies are produced after vaccination, if the amount of influenza virus exposed is too large to exceed the protective ability of its antibodies, there is also a risk of infection.

In addition, if the strains involved in the influenza vaccine vaccinated do not cover the influenza virus strains circulating in the year, the protective effect of the influenza vaccine will also be affected.

"However, influenza vaccination is still the most effective way to prevent influenza." Li Jun said.

　　Li Jun said that the flu virus usually changes slightly in a few years and a major change in more than ten years. Therefore, the World Health Organization recommends vaccine components every year for countries to prepare vaccines.

　　In 1947, the World Health Organization established the Global Influenza Surveillance Network, which is responsible for monitoring the latest influenza strains spreading globally.

"Every year, WHO will predict the types of virus strains that may be circulating in the next epidemic season based on the'current season' virus strains, and select 2 influenza A virus strains and 1 influenza B virus strain for countries to prepare three In recent years, WHO has begun to recommend 2 influenza B virus strains to provide a reference for preparing quadrivalent vaccines.” Xu told reporters that compared with last year, the trivalent influenza vaccine recommended by WHO this year In the composition, the A (H3N2) subtype, A (H3N2) subtype, and B (Victoria line) viruses have all changed strains.

　Vaccination should be postponed during acute illness

　　my country has a vast territory, and there are differences in the peak and duration of influenza outbreaks.

In 2013, a study on influenza seasonality in different regions of China showed that the annual periodicity of influenza A in China increased with the increase in latitude, and showed diversified spatial patterns and seasonal characteristics. The northern provinces have their peaks in January and February each year; the southernmost provinces south of 27 degrees north latitude have their peaks from April to June each year; the mid-latitude regions between the two have their peaks from January to February and June to August each year. The month is the peak of influenza outbreak; and influenza B has a single winter high incidence in most areas of China.

　　“Jiangsu’s winter and spring influenza epidemic season usually starts from November, reaches the peak of the epidemic from the end of December to the beginning of January of the following year, and gradually drops to a low epidemic level after April. Usually 2-4 weeks after influenza vaccination, there may be The antibody titers of the protective level begin to decay after 6-8 months, and it is generally appropriate to vaccinate one month before the beginning of the epidemic season. Therefore, it is recommended to complete the influenza vaccination before the end of October each year, but for those not vaccinated before the end of October, the entire epidemic season All can be vaccinated." Xu said that from April to October 10 this year, the Jiangsu CDC tested 16,000 routine monitoring samples, and 3 samples were positive for influenza virus nucleic acid, which was 1%-2% lower than previous non-influenza epidemic seasons. The low value of %.

This means that the flu epidemic has not yet entered, so the public who have not yet been vaccinated should not panic.

　　The "Influenza Vaccination Technical Guidelines (2020-2021)" reminds that in order to ensure that the recipients get immunization protection before the flu season, it is recommended that all regions arrange vaccination work as soon as possible, and it is best to complete the immunization before the end of October; For unvaccinated subjects, immunization services can be provided throughout the epidemic season.

　　At present, it is safe to vaccinate influenza vaccine by intramuscular injection, but not everyone is suitable for vaccination. The permission reminds that people who are allergic to any ingredients contained in the vaccine, including excipients, formaldehyde, cracking agents and antibiotics, are prohibited from vaccination.

In addition, patients with acute illnesses that have had fever or no fever in the near future, such as those who are feverish, cold, or infected with a certain pathogen, are recommended to vaccinate after the symptoms subsided.

　　And how should people who fail to get the flu vaccine be protected?

Licensing said that influenza is mainly spread through respiratory droplets and close contact. First, hand hygiene and respiratory isolation must be done. Try to avoid crowded confined places. When going out, you must wear a mask, protect yourself, and wash your hands frequently; if If you have upper respiratory symptoms such as fever and cough, you should seek medical attention in time, and work and study with illness is not recommended; for people at high risk of severe influenza, if you have a clear history of influenza exposure, you can use neuraminidase inhibitors to prevent influenza under the guidance of a doctor .