The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued the Technical Guidelines for Influenza Vaccination in China (2023-2024) on September 5.
Influenza (referred to as "influenza") is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus that poses serious harm to human health, and the population is generally susceptible to influenza virus, and high-risk groups such as pregnant women, infants, the elderly and patients with chronic diseases are more harmful after infection with influenza, and influenza outbreaks are prone to occur in schools, childcare institutions and nursing homes and other places where people gather.
The updated content of the new version of the guide mainly includes the following aspects:
First, new research evidence has been added, especially from mainland China, including influenza disease burden, vaccine effectiveness, vaccine safety monitoring, and vaccine vaccination cost effect.
Second, it has updated the relevant policies and measures for influenza prevention and control issued by the National Health Commission and the National Disease Control Administration in the past year;
Third, the types of influenza vaccines used in China in 2023~2024 have been updated; Fourth, the composition of trivalent and quadrivalent influenza vaccines for this year has been updated; Fifth, the influenza vaccination recommendations for 2023~2024 have been updated.
The guidelines recommend influenza vaccination for all people aged 6 months or older who are not contraindicated. Combined with the influenza epidemic situation and the prevention and control strategy of multi-disease prevention, to reduce the harm of influenza as much as possible, priority is given to recommending timely vaccination of the following key and high-risk groups:
1. Medical personnel, including clinical treatment personnel, public health personnel, health quarantine personnel, etc.;
2. Seniors aged 60 and above; 3. People with one or more chronic diseases; 4. Vulnerable people and employees in crowd gathering places such as elderly care institutions, long-term care institutions, and welfare homes; 5. Pregnant women; 6. Children aged 6~59 months; 7. Family members and caregivers of infants under 6 months of age; 8. People in key places such as childcare institutions, primary and secondary schools, and supervision places.
In terms of the number of doses, it is recommended that: for influenza virus inactivated vaccine, children aged 6 months ~ 8 years, if they have not been vaccinated with influenza vaccine before, should receive 2 doses for the first time, with an interval of more than or equal to 4 weeks; 1 dose or more of influenza vaccine received in 2022~2023 or before; Children and adults 9 years of age and older need only 1 dose of influenza vaccine, regardless of previous influenza vaccination. For live attenuated influenza virus vaccine, only 1 dose is given, regardless of whether you have received the influenza vaccine.
In addition, combined with the World Health Organization's recommendations on simultaneous vaccination of influenza vaccine and new crown vaccine, and combined with domestic and foreign research progress, the guideline recommends that people aged 18 years and older can receive inactivated influenza vaccine and new crown vaccine on both limbs when receiving immunization services at one time; For people under the age of 18, it is recommended that the interval between the flu vaccine and the new crown vaccination is still greater than 14 days.
It is recommended that all localities carry out vaccination as soon as possible after the vaccine supply is in place, and try to complete vaccination before the local influenza epidemic season. For people who can receive different types or manufacturers of vaccine products, the recipient (or his guardian) can voluntarily choose to receive any influenza vaccine, and there is no priority recommendation. In the same epidemic season, those who have completed the full vaccination in accordance with the vaccination procedure do not need to be vaccinated again. Pregnant women can receive inactivated influenza vaccine at any stage of pregnancy. Vaccination units are available throughout the epidemic season.
A variety of viral infections may overlap this winter and next spring
The northern flu season has been reported to be from November to March, while the southern flu peak period is highly volatile, and both winter and summer may be the peak season.
What are the 2023 flu trends?
Li Jin, director of the pharmacy department at Guangzhou United Family Hospital, said that the current data shows that the mainland population is susceptible and has decreased pre-existing immunity, the risk of influenza outbreaks has increased, and influenza has returned to regular seasonal epidemics, alternating with the new crown epidemic.
Professor Sun Zhijia of the Department of Respiratory Medicine of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine explained that the probability of a person being infected with both the new coronavirus and the influenza virus is relatively small, because one pathogen invading the human body tends to "occupy the mountain as the king", and other pathogens are not easy to enter. However, during the recovery period of the new crown infection, the immunity is relatively low, and if it is the flu season, the risk of contracting the influenza virus is relatively high, and vice versa.
Many neighbors learned that there were people around them who were "recruited" one after another, so they hurried to get the flu vaccine, and it was too late. "Since it takes about 14 days for the vaccine to take effect, and the protection period can be up to 6 to 8 months, it is important to get vaccinated as early as possible." Doctors appealed.
90% of influenza outbreaks occur on campus
According to Jiangsu CDC, influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Influenza viruses are antigenically variable, spread rapidly, and the population is generally susceptible. Because the immune function is not fully developed, children are more likely to become high-risk and high-risk groups of influenza.
As closed gathering places, schools can easily become hotbeds for the breeding and spread of influenza viruses. The data shows that the population density of the campus is about 10~15 times that of the family/community, and each case of school-age children with influenza may infect 8~10 people.
After the child is infected with influenza virus, the clinical manifestations are mainly high fever, headache, limb aches, fatigue, accompanied by runny nose, cough and other upper respiratory symptoms, and the frail and sick people are prone to complications such as pneumonia after infection.
How can it be prevented?
To prevent influenza, we must do the following 5 aspects.
After autumn, the temperature changes greatly, so you should add or remove clothes in time, and develop good hygiene habits, wash your hands frequently, and do not wipe your hands with dirty towels.
Cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief or tissue when sneezing or coughing to avoid contamination by droplets.
Ventilate frequently to keep indoor air circulating.
Present to the doctor as soon as flu-like symptoms occur, and isolate the person with influenza for 2 days after the fever has subsided.
Annual influenza vaccination is the most effective measure to prevent influenza. Priority is recommended for children aged 6 months to 5 years, seniors 60 years of age and older, people with chronic conditions, healthcare workers, family members and caregivers of infants under 6 months of age, or women planning to become pregnant during influenza season.
Source: Popular Science China