Influenza Vaccination Guidelines 2024

Priority is recommended for five groups of people: the elderly over 60 years old, children under 5 years old, pregnant women, patients with chronic diseases, and medical staff. The quadrivalent inactivated vaccine with a higher virus strain matching is preferred. The best vaccination window is September to November. People without contraindications to vaccination are recommended to be vaccinated every Get vaccinated every year, and there is no need to wait for the so-called "updated strain vaccine" - this is the least confusing conclusion compiled by combining the WHO's recommended strains for the northern hemisphere this year, the monitoring data of the domestic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and my six-month practical experience in community public health rotation.

This year’s virus strain update is actually quite significant. In the quadrivalent vaccine recommended by the WHO, all three components of influenza A H1N1, H3N2 and B influenza Victoria series have been replaced with new strains, while only the old components of influenza B Yamagata series have been retained. This is also the controversial point that people ask the most recently: Is it enough to pay three prices? At present, there are indeed two different judgments in the domestic public health circle: one group is based on domestic influenza surveillance data in the past three years. There are no local epidemic reports of the B-type Yamagata strain. The trivalent vaccine covering the three current mainstream strains is sufficiently cost-effective and can save dozens of dollars. ； The other group considers that cross-border travel will fully resume this year and does not rule out the possibility of the spread of imported Yamagata strains, and recommends a quadrivalent vaccine with wider coverage. For your reference, I ordered a four-price ticket for my parents who have weak cardiopulmonary function. For my grandpa, who rarely goes out and is always in good health, I chose a local free three-price ticket.

Last week, I received an expectant mother who was 10 weeks pregnant. She stood next to the vaccination table and hesitated for 20 minutes, fearing that the vaccine would have an impact on her child. In fact, there is really no need to worry about this. The latest domestic guidelines have long made it clear that pregnant women are one of the most at-risk groups for influenza, and they can receive inactivated influenza vaccine during the entire pregnancy. On the contrary, if you get influenza during pregnancy, the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and intrauterine distress is dozens of times higher than the negligible adverse reactions of the vaccine. There are also children who have just entered kindergarten. My best friend did not make an appointment last year with the mentality that "the child has good resistance and does not need to be vaccinated." As a result, a round of A in the class ended up. Her child had a fever for five days, and also infected it to her mother-in-law who had just undergone lung cancer surgery. The family spent half a month in the hospital. As soon as the appointment opened in September this year, all three of the family were booked.

Oh, by the way, there are two more misunderstandings that have been circulating for several years. Let me dispel them today. One is that "you have to wait 14 days after taking other vaccines before getting a flu shot." The rule has long been changed. The current guidelines clearly state that inactivated influenza vaccine and all conventional vaccines such as HPV, COVID-19, herpes zoster, and pneumococcal vaccines can be vaccinated at the same time, as long as they are injected in different arms, saving an extra trip to the social welfare system. The other is "You cannot get the flu vaccine if you are allergic to eggs." This was more than ten years ago. The current vaccine purification process has long reduced the residual egg white protein to the nanogram level. Unless you have throat edema and anaphylactic shock after eating a bite of eggs, even if you get a small rash or a little indigestion after eating eggs, you can be vaccinated normally, and you don't need to report it to the doctor.

People often ask questions based on online posts, saying, "My colleague was still infected with the flu vaccine last year, and the vaccination was in vain." This is actually because we have too high expectations for the effectiveness of vaccines. The effectiveness of influenza vaccines in preventing severe illness and death can reach over 90%, and the effectiveness in preventing infection is about 40%-60%. After all, influenza strains mutate too fast, and everyone’s immune response level is also different. It's like wearing a down jacket in winter. It doesn't guarantee that you won't catch a cold at all, but it can guarantee that you won't get pneumonia or serious complications from the cold with a high probability. The price/performance ratio is still very high. Some people also ask, "If you were vaccinated last year, should you get vaccinated this year?" Yes, you have to be vaccinated. On the one hand, the titer of influenza antibodies will generally drop below the protective level in 6-8 months. On the other hand, the strains are updated every year. Last year's vaccine has basically no protective effect on this year's new strain.

As for how to make an appointment, it is actually very simple. The Alipay and WeChat medical and health modules in most cities allow you to directly make an appointment at the community health service center near your home, or you can just walk to the social health center to ask. This year's vaccine stock is sufficient, so there is no need to rush. In terms of price, the third price is generally 50-80 yuan, and the fourth price is 120-160 yuan. In most areas, the personal account of employee medical insurance can be swiped directly. Many cities also provide free vaccination to local residents over 60 years old. Before you go, you can call and ask if there are corresponding benefits for social health.

In fact, to put it bluntly, the flu vaccine is a cost-effective deal that costs one or two hundred yuan and saves the whole family from having to go to the hospital a few times in winter. You don’t have to worry too much. If there are no special contraindications, just get it before the end of November. If you are really busy and forget to postpone it until December or even January next year, as long as you are not infected yet, vaccination will still be useful. There is no need to stop vaccination simply because it has passed the so-called "best time".