3 questions and answers about vaccination | National Children's Vaccination Day

April 25, 2024 is the 38th " National Children's Vaccination Day " in China. This year's theme is "Act together, get vaccinated, and protect the whole life cycle." # NationalChildren'sVaccinationDay#

From the moment a baby is born, vaccines accompany us through our childhood. Why do children need to be vaccinated? What vaccines do children need to receive? What precautions are there? This article will answer them one by one .

Why should children be vaccinated?

Through vaccination, children can produce specific protective antibodies in their bodies to effectively fight against the invasion of pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. Vaccination is the most economical, efficient and convenient way to prevent infectious diseases. Moreover, when children are vaccinated according to the prescribed immunization procedures, they can not only protect their own health, but also build a solid herd immunity barrier, thereby further protecting the health of more children.

What vaccines do children need?

According to the "Vaccine Management Law of the People's Republic of China", vaccines are divided into two types: immunization program vaccines and non-immunization program vaccines.

1. Immunization Program Vaccines

That is, vaccines that must be administered according to government regulations, such as infants must complete basic immunization within 1 year of age, including BCG, trivalent polio vaccine, pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus toxoid mixture, attenuated measles vaccine, and hepatitis B virus vaccination. For details, see Table 1.

Table 1 National Immunization Program Vaccine Childhood Immunization Schedule (2021 Edition)

Note: (1) Mainly refers to tuberculous meningitis, miliary tuberculosis, etc.; (2) When choosing live attenuated Japanese encephalitis vaccine, a two-dose vaccination schedule is adopted. When choosing inactivated Japanese encephalitis vaccine, a four-dose vaccination schedule is adopted; the interval between the first and second doses of inactivated Japanese encephalitis vaccine is 7 to 10 days; (3) When choosing live attenuated hepatitis A vaccine, a one-dose vaccination schedule is adopted. When choosing inactivated hepatitis A vaccine, a two-dose vaccination schedule is adopted.

2. Non-immunization program vaccines

Refers to other vaccines that are administered voluntarily and at one’s own expense, such as varicella vaccine, hand, foot and mouth disease vaccine, influenza vaccine, etc.

(1) Varicella vaccine: RMB 150-350 per dose, free of charge in some areas.

1 to 12 years old: One dose is generally recommended as basic immunization.

13 years and above: 2 doses are generally recommended, with an interval of 4 to 8 weeks.

(2) Hand, foot and mouth disease vaccine: approximately RMB 160 per dose.

The best age for vaccination is 6 months to 5 years old, and the vaccination program should be completed within 12 months of age if possible.

It is recommended to administer 2 doses, 1 month apart.

(3) Influenza vaccine: RMB 80-200 per dose; free of charge in some areas and for some groups of people.

6 months to 8 years old: If it is the first vaccination or the number of previous vaccinations is less than 2 doses, 2 doses are required, with an interval of more than 4 weeks. If the number of vaccinations in the previous year or more is ≥ 2 doses, 1 dose is recommended.

9 years and above: Usually only one dose is required each year, and repeated vaccination is generally not required in the same flu season.

What are the precautions for children to get vaccinated?

1. Parents should truthfully inform the vaccinating doctor of the child’s health condition so that the vaccinating doctor can determine whether the vaccine can be given based on the child’s specific situation.

2. Before vaccination, parents should ensure that their children are in good physical condition and have no cold symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, etc., so as not to affect the effectiveness of the vaccination.

3. Stay on site for 30 minutes after vaccination and make sure the child has no discomfort symptoms before leaving.

4. Within 24 hours after vaccination, parents need to observe whether the child has adverse reactions such as fever, local redness, swelling, pain, etc. If any abnormalities are found, they should seek medical attention in time.

5. Within one week after vaccination, avoid strenuous exercise for children and keep the vaccination site clean and dry to prevent infection.

6. Follow the doctor's advice to arrange vaccination time reasonably and try to avoid multiple vaccinations in a short period of time to avoid putting burden on the child's body.

In short, parents should pay close attention to the entire process of children's vaccination to ensure the safety and effectiveness of vaccination. At the same time, they should cultivate good living habits for children, enhance immunity, and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions to vaccination. During the vaccination process, parents and children should actively cooperate with the vaccination doctors to jointly escort the healthy growth of children.