China News Service, Beijing, September 27 (Wei Xianghui) As the weather turns cooler, the flu season is coming.
Some experts said that the risk of new crown superimposed influenza epidemics in my country from winter this year to spring next year is increasing.
At present, influenza vaccination has been launched in many places across the country, and some regions have carried out free influenza vaccination for key groups.
Data map: The elderly are vaccinated against influenza.
Photo by Ge Mengli
The flu is not the common cold, there is a vaccine to prevent it
"Influenza is definitely not the common cold. Influenza is caused by the influenza virus and has a case fatality rate of 1 in 1,000 to 2 in 1,000. The common cold is a respiratory symptom caused by a variety of respiratory viral infections."
Li Tong was the deputy chief physician of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University.
He introduced to Chinanews.com that flu symptoms are generally heavier than cold symptoms, but there are vaccines to prevent and antiviral drugs to use.
At the 2022 World Influenza Conference held not long ago, Shen Hongbing, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and deputy director of the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention, said that the autumn and winter of 2022 are coming, and the northern hemisphere is about to enter the high season of influenza. The risk will increase significantly.
"An 'unusual pattern of influenza epidemics' may occur globally, and it is unclear how long it will take to reestablish normal seasonal epidemic patterns, which are expected to intensify in the coming season." Zhonghua Prevention Feng Zijian, secretary-general of the Medical Association, emphasized that the flu situation in 2022 and 2023 may be more serious than before, and flu vaccination is imminent.
Feng Zijian mentioned that the immune protection of the flu vaccine will gradually weaken over time, so it is best to get the flu vaccine immediately before the flu epidemic.
In the three months before the arrival of the flu peak in December this year, that is, from September to November, it is necessary to step up the influenza vaccination work.
Li Tong once said that in addition to vaccination, everyone should also pay attention to wearing masks, washing hands frequently, and maintaining social distance.
Data map Photo by Zhou Yi
People 18 years of age and older can receive both vaccines at the same time
Li Tong once told Chinanews.com that two key groups of people should pay attention to preventing influenza.
One is people with high risk of severe illness after infection, such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, people with underlying diseases and obese people; the other is people at risk of infection, especially nursing home staff, hospital medical staff, etc. .
For those who are willing to be vaccinated against influenza, he suggested that sufficient time should be reserved.
On August 29, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued the "Technical Guidelines for Influenza Vaccine Vaccination in China (2022-2023)". People aged 18 and over can receive inactivated influenza vaccine and inactivated influenza vaccine on both limbs when receiving immunization services at one time. Corona vaccine.
For people under the age of 18, it is recommended that the interval between influenza vaccine and new crown vaccination is still more than 14 days.
Regarding the doses of vaccination, for inactivated influenza vaccines, children aged 6 months to 8 years old who are vaccinated for the first time should receive 2 doses of influenza vaccine with an interval of ≥4 weeks; those who have received 1 or more doses of influenza vaccine in 2021-2022 or before Children, 1 dose is recommended; children 9 years and older and adults only need 1 dose.
For live attenuated influenza vaccine, only 1 dose is given, regardless of whether you have received a flu vaccine.
Data map: Get the nasal spray flu vaccine.
Photo by Tao Shuanke
Free flu vaccination for key populations in many places
It is understood that since September, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Xinxiang and other cities have launched free influenza vaccination programs for the elderly, but the age range is different.
In January 2022, the website of the National Health and Medical Commission published a reply to the "Suggestions on Free Influenza and Pneumonia Vaccination for People Over 60" put forward by the deputies of the National People's Congress.
It is mentioned that in 2019, the Healthy China Action Promotion Committee formulated and issued the "Healthy China Action (2019-2030)" to encourage qualified areas to be the elderly aged 60 and above, young children in kindergartens, primary and secondary school students and secondary vocational schools. Students get free flu shots.
The "National Influenza Prevention and Control Plan" (2020 Edition) encourages all localities to study and formulate free influenza vaccination policies based on actual conditions, and effectively reduce vaccination costs by adopting various forms such as free vaccination, inclusion of medical insurance, and government subsidies.
At present, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Karamay and many other places have successively issued policies, which clearly stipulate that children and the elderly will be vaccinated free of charge by financial support, and financial support policies in other regions are also being gradually promoted.
This year, Beijing has fully launched influenza vaccination since September 13.
In addition to the elderly over the age of 60, all primary and secondary school students in Beijing and emergency support personnel for major events (including front-line personnel in the prevention and control of the new crown pneumonia epidemic) recognized by the health administrative departments of various districts in Beijing can also receive the flu vaccine for free.
(Finish)