What is influenza?
Influenza (influenza) is an acute respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus (influenza virus), which is characterized by fever, headache, myalgia, malaise, rhinitis, sore throat and cough. Influenza can aggravate underlying diseases (such as heart and lung diseases) or cause secondary bacterial pneumonia or primary influenza viral pneumonia, and the elderly and people with various chronic diseases or weakness are prone to serious complications after influenza and have a high mortality rate.
How to prevent influenza?
Since influenza is a viral infection with no specific treatment, preventive measures are very important. The main preventive measures include.
(a) Maintain good personal and environmental hygiene.
(b) Wash your hands regularly, use soap or hand sanitizer and wash your hands with running water, and do not wipe your hands with dirty towels. Hands should be washed immediately after contact with respiratory secretions (e.g., after sneezing).
(c) Cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief or tissue when sneezing or coughing to avoid contaminating others with droplets. Influenza patients should wear a mask at home or when going out to avoid infecting others.
(d) Eat a balanced diet, get plenty of exercise and rest, and avoid overexertion.
(e) Open the windows several times a day (avoid wind in winter) to keep the indoor air fresh.
(F) During the high season of influenza, try not to go to crowded places with dirty air; if you have to go, it is better to wear a mask.
(vii) Flu vaccination before the flu season can also reduce the chance of infection or reduce flu symptoms.
Who should get influenza vaccination?
The Ministry of Health has developed “Guidelines for Influenza Vaccination in China”, which has been posted on the official website of the Ministry of Health.
Influenza vaccination is self-funded and voluntary by citizens. However, group vaccinations or emergency vaccinations organized by local health administrative departments according to relevant regulations are provided by the government to citizens free of charge. Generally speaking, people aged 6 months or older who are not contraindicated to receive the vaccination can receive the influenza vaccine voluntarily and at their own expense. Vaccination is recommended for the following groups of people.
1.People over 60 years old;
2.Patients with chronic diseases and those who are frail and sick;
3.Health care institution staff, especially front-line staff;
4.Elementary school students and kindergarten children;
5. Staff of nursing homes, elderly care centers and child care institutions;
6, service industry workers, especially cab drivers, civil aviation, railroads, highway traffic staff, commercial and tourism service workers, etc.;
7.People who frequently travel on business or at home and abroad.
Who cannot receive the flu vaccine?
Pregnant women who are more than 3 months pregnant should use influenza vaccine with caution. In addition, influenza vaccination is prohibited for the following groups of people.
1.People who are allergic to eggs or other components of the vaccine;
2.Patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome;
3.Pregnant women within 3 months of pregnancy;
4.Patients with acute febrile illness;
5.Patients with chronic diseases;
6.Patients with severe allergy;
7.Children under 12 years of age cannot use inactivated whole virus vaccine;
8.People who are not considered suitable for vaccination by doctors.
What kinds of influenza vaccines are available and how to choose them?
There are three types of influenza vaccines currently used in China: whole virus inactivated vaccine, cracked vaccine and subunit vaccine, which are available in both domestic and imported products. Each vaccine contains three types of inactivated influenza viruses or antigenic components: subtype A1, subtype A3 and type B. The immunogenicity and side effects of these three vaccines do not differ much.
However, it is important to note that the whole inactivated virus vaccine has more side effects in children and is prohibited for children under 12 years of age.
What are the possible side effects of influenza vaccination?
The components of whole inactivated virus vaccine, cracked vaccine and subunit vaccine are not infectious and do not cause influenza, but there is a risk of incidental respiratory illnesses unrelated to vaccination after vaccination.
Local reaction: Transient mild pain, redness and swelling at the injection site.
Systemic reactions: Hypothermia and discomfort may occur after vaccination. Usually only symptomatic treatment is required and will not affect the effect of the vaccine. Acute hypersensitivity reactions may occur in people who are highly allergic to egg proteins.
When is the right time to get the flu vaccine? What is the effect?
1. Influenza vaccination 1-2 months before the peak of the influenza epidemic is more effective in bringing out the protective effect of the vaccine. The recommended time for vaccination in China is from September to November each year. Since the composition of the strain contained in the vaccine varies from year to year depending on the predominant strain, it is necessary to receive the current year’s influenza vaccine every year. As China is a northern hemisphere country, the World Health Organization recommends the current year’s northern hemisphere influenza vaccine components at the beginning of each year based on the global surveillance of viruses from the previous epidemic season, and manufacturers organize vaccine production. The vaccine components for the Northern Hemisphere for the 2005-2006 influenza epidemic season announced by the World Health Organization include
A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1)-like strain
A/California/7/2004 (H3N2)-like strain
B/Shanghai/361/2002 similar strain
2. Influenza vaccination has some protection against influenza A and B. However, it has no preventive effect on avian influenza.
What are the regulations on the categories of vaccines in China?
Class I vaccines are those vaccines provided by the government to citizens free of charge and citizens should be vaccinated in accordance with the government’s regulations, including vaccines determined by the national immunization plan, vaccines added by the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government in implementing the national immunization plan, and vaccines used for emergency vaccination or mass vaccination organized by people’s governments above the county level or their competent health departments.
The second type of vaccine refers to other vaccines that are self-funded and voluntarily administered by citizens.
How can humans prevent avian influenza?
Highly pathogenic avian influenza is a virulent infectious disease caused by two subtypes of influenza A viruses, H5 and H7. According to reports from the Netherlands in 2003 and recently from Vietnam and Thailand, people are mainly infected with avian influenza after coming into contact with sick birds. Chicken breeders are close contacts of birds, in order to prevent chicken breeders from contracting avian influenza, it is important to develop good hygiene habits, it is best to wear a mask and work clothes when working to reduce the chances of direct human contact with chickens, and work clothes should be cleaned and disinfected. Hands should be washed after contact with dirt, and gloves should be worn when handling chicken manure. In the event of an epidemic, contact with birds should be minimized, and gloves and masks should be worn when contacting birds, and protective clothing should be worn, etc.
For ordinary people, it is very important to develop a good lifestyle to prevent diseases. You should strengthen physical exercise, take more rest and avoid overexertion during normal times. When an epidemic is found, you should try to avoid contact with birds, and food such as chicken should be cooked thoroughly; keep indoor air circulation, and go to places with poor air circulation as little as possible; pay attention to personal hygiene. During the period of high prevalence of avian influenza, try to stay away from poultry secretions and avoid touching live chickens, ducks, geese and other poultry and birds; keep indoor air circulation, such as air conditioning equipment, should often clean the dust filter, and try to go to public places with poor air circulation and crowd gathering; pay attention to personal hygiene, wash your hands in the right way; cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing; indoor furniture should be kept clean and avoid using carpets that are difficult to Avoid using carpets that are difficult to clean.