enters the autumn, and you are greeted by the erratic temperature and dry air, as well as the "unsolicited" influenza virus .
Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus, which seriously endangers people's health. Influenza viruses are antigenically variable and spread rapidly. The seasonal influenza epidemic can cause 3-5 million severe cases and 290,000-650,000 respiratory disease-related deaths worldwide each year.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention clearly pointed out that annual influenza vaccination is the most cost-effective measure to prevent influenza.
has collected 9 flu vaccine-related questions that everyone is most concerned about, hoping to answer your doubts.
Q1: Who needs the flu vaccine?
Q2: I got the flu shot last year, do I still need it this year?
Q3: Is it safe to get the flu vaccine, and are there any side effects?
Q4: Trivalent and quadrivalent vaccine, which one should be vaccinated?
Q5: How many shots do I need to get the flu vaccine?
Q6: Can people with antibiotic allergies get the flu shot?
Q7: Can people with egg allergies get the flu shot?
Q8: Will I get the flu after getting the flu vaccine?
Q9: Can the flu vaccine be given with other vaccines?
Q1: Who needs the flu vaccine?
In principle, anyone 6 months and older who is willing to get the flu vaccine and has no contraindications can get the flu shot. Combined with this year's COVID-19 epidemic situation, in order to minimize the harm of influenza and the impact on epidemic prevention and control, it is recommended to vaccinate key and high-risk groups in priority order. The specific suggestions are as follows:
1. Medical staff: including clinical rescue personnel, public health personnel, health quarantine personnel, etc.
2. Large-scale event participants and security personnel.
3. Vulnerable groups and employees in crowd gathering places such as retirement institutions, long-term care institutions, and welfare homes.
4. People in key places: such as teachers and students of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, detainees and staff of prison institutions, etc.
5. Other high-risk populations for influenza. Includes home-based seniors 60 years and older, children 6 months to 5 years, people with certain chronic medical conditions, family members and caregivers of infants under 6 months of age, and women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant during flu season.
Q2: I got the flu shot last year, do I still need it this year?
required.
On the one hand, influenza viruses are prone to mutation, and the strains circulating each year may be different from those in previous years, and the components of the vaccine are also adjusted each year. Two influenza A strains (H1N1 and H3N2) have been updated in the recommended strains for this year's flu vaccine.
On the other hand, protective antibodies produced after vaccination generally last 6 to 8 months and will gradually weaken over time.
So, get the flu vaccine every year to get sustained immunity.
Q3: Is it safe to get the flu vaccine, and are there any side effects?
The flu shot is safe, but like other medical treatments, flu shots can have adverse effects. The common side effects of
influenza vaccination are mainly local reactions, including pain and swelling at the vaccination site, and systemic reactions such as fever, headache, and myalgia. These adverse reactions are usually mild and usually go away on their own within a few days, and severe reactions are rare.
Q4: Trivalent and quadrivalent vaccine, which one should be vaccinated?
Influenza vaccines that have been approved for marketing in my country can be divided into non-live vaccines and live vaccines according to whether the vaccine contains live influenza virus.
According to the components contained in the vaccine, influenza vaccines are divided into trivalent vaccines and quadrivalent vaccines. The
trivalent vaccine contains a strain of A(H3N2), A(H1N1) and B strains, and the quadrivalent vaccine component contains A(H3N2), A(H1N1) and B Victoria Department, Yamagata Department. Compared with the trivalent vaccine,
has one more strain of type B strain added to the strain of the quadrivalent vaccine, and the protection range is wider.
Q5: How long does it take to get the flu vaccine?Needle?
Children aged 6 months to 8 years old: for the first time or less than 2 doses of influenza vaccine previously, 2 doses should be given with an interval of ≥4 weeks; children who have received ≥2 doses of influenza vaccine should receive 1 dose.
Children and adults ≥9 years: 1 dose.
Q6: Can people who are allergic to antibiotics get the flu vaccine?
involves virus-cultured vaccines, and antibiotics are usually used to inhibit the growth of miscellaneous bacteria .
According to " Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China ", antibiotics are impurities in influenza vaccines, and the total amount of antibiotics in each dose of influenza vaccines does not exceed 50ng. If advanced equipment and strict management procedures are adopted to achieve a sterile production process, there is no need to add antibiotics, and antibiotics are rejected from the source.
At present, there is no evidence that residual antibiotics in the vaccine cause damage to the health of the vaccinees, but the vaccine instructions contain contraindications for those allergic to antibiotics. If there is an allergy to antibiotics, the inoculation doctor will not provide vaccination services.
Those who are allergic to antibiotics can choose to get the flu vaccine without antibiotics. How to judge whether to add antibiotics?
Antibiotics are an impurity item. The ingredient list in the flu vaccine instructions will not indicate whether antibiotics are contained, but it can be judged by the contraindications column.
If the contraindication of the flu vaccine instructions clearly states that those who are allergic to antibiotics are prohibited from vaccinating, it means that antibiotics have been added to the flu vaccine during the production process.
Q7: Can people with egg allergies get the flu vaccine?
China currently uses chicken embryos in the production process of all influenza vaccines. However, the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (2010, 2015 and 2020 editions) does not expressly state that egg allergy is a contraindication to influenza vaccine.
The substance that may induce allergy in eggs is mainly ovalbumin, and ovalbumin should be removed as much as possible during the production process of influenza vaccine.
2020 version pharmacopoeia stipulates that the ovalbumin content of the split influenza vaccine should be ≤200ng/mL, and the split vaccine is a non-live vaccine. The Pharmacopoeia has no regulations on the content of ovalbumin in live influenza vaccines. Influenza vaccines commonly used in my country are mainly influenza split vaccines, and their egg protein content in market sampling tests does not exceed 140ng/mL.
The U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Implementation has recommended that people with egg allergies also get the flu vaccine since 2016. Because the eggs contained in the vaccine are very small, they are unlikely to cause a serious allergic reaction.
Q8: Will I get the flu after getting the flu vaccine?
cannot guarantee 100%.
Influenza vaccination is the most effective way to prevent the flu and can significantly reduce the risk of flu and serious complications for those who receive it. In most years, influenza vaccines are well matched to circulating influenza strains and provide good protection. However, there is also a certain chance that the strain of influenza vaccine does not match the circulating strain, which in turn affects the protective effect of influenza vaccine.
Moreover, no vaccine can achieve 100% protection, and there is no guarantee that you will not get the flu after vaccination, but it can greatly reduce the risk of disease or even more serious cases. Moreover, the incubation period of influenza is usually 1 to 4 days. If you have been infected with the virus before the vaccine produces antibodies, there will be a situation of "after vaccination, you still get the flu".
In addition, influenza vaccination can only prevent influenza infection caused by influenza virus. The symptoms of many diseases include fever, runny nose and cough. Other pathogens such as parainfluenza virus, adenovirus , etc. can also cause influenza-like symptoms. Symptoms, influenza vaccination does not prevent such symptoms caused by infection with pathogens other than influenza virus.
Q9: Can the flu vaccine be given with other vaccines?
Influenza vaccine inactive: It can be given in different parts at the same time as any other vaccine.
live influenza vaccine: It can be vaccinated at the same time as other live vaccines. If not vaccinated at the same time, an interval of ≥28 days is recommended to prevent the effect of the latter vaccine from being affected by the former vaccine.
my country's "New Coronavirus Vaccination Technical Guidelines (First Edition)" recommends that the interval between influenza vaccine and COVID-19 vaccination is > 14 days (although there is no evidence to support).
You can also get a non-live influenza vaccine during the prevention and treatment of influenza antiviral drugs.
References:
1. Influenza Vaccine Working Group of the National Immunization Program Technical Working Group. Technical Guidelines for Influenza Vaccination in China (2021-2022).
2. WHO. Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2021-2022 northern hemisphere influenza season. February 2021
3. WHO. Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2020-2021 northern hemisphere influenza season. February 2020
4. What does it mean when there are no antibiotics in the flu vaccine?
5. Instructions for each brand of influenza vaccine
