Attention! It is not advisable to get the flu vaccine in these cases

Seasonal influenza is an acute viral infection that is easily spread and can infect people of all ages. The elderly, children and people with underlying diseases should pay special attention to it. What should you pay attention to when getting the flu vaccine? In what cases should you not get vaccinated? Read on to find out!

Various measures have been taken in various places to promote influenza vaccination

The flu season generally lasts from November of each year to around May of the following year. Now is a good time to get the flu vaccine, and vaccination work has also started in various places.

Starting from mid-September, Beijing has been making appointments for influenza vaccination in batches for different groups of people. Currently, influenza vaccination is being carried out for Beijing residents over 60 years old and students in primary and secondary schools, secondary vocational schools and technical colleges. In Jiangsu, Guangdong and other places, staff of primary medical institutions explain the role of influenza vaccines to patients with basic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes through door-to-door publicity and telephone interviews.

China CDC: Key and high-risk groups should be vaccinated first

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention previously released a new version of the technical guidelines for influenza vaccination, updating the types of influenza vaccines available in China and vaccination recommendations for the 2023-2024 epidemic season.

The new guidelines recommend:

1. All people aged 6 months or older with no contraindications should receive influenza vaccination.

2. In combination with the influenza epidemic situation and the prevention and control strategy of multiple diseases, the harm of influenza will be reduced as much as possible, and timely vaccination will be recommended for key and high-risk groups, including: medical personnel; elderly people aged 60 and above; people with one or more chronic diseases; vulnerable groups and employees in places where people gather, such as nursing homes, long-term care institutions, and welfare homes; pregnant women; children aged 6 to 59 months; family members and caregivers of infants under 6 months old; and people in key places such as childcare institutions, primary and secondary schools, and supervision places.

3. The influenza vaccines used in my country during the 2023-2024 epidemic season include trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine, quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine and trivalent live attenuated vaccine. At present, influenza vaccines are non-immunization program vaccines in my country, and citizens are informed and voluntarily vaccinated. The new version of the guidelines does not give priority recommendations for the types of influenza vaccines that the public can choose.

In terms of vaccination doses, the new guidelines recommend:

1. For inactivated influenza virus vaccines, children aged 6 months to 8 years who have not received influenza vaccine before should receive 2 doses for the first vaccination, with an interval of no less than 4 weeks; if they have received 1 or more doses of influenza vaccine in 2022-2023 or before, they should receive 1 dose.

2. Children aged 9 years and above and adults only need one dose of influenza vaccine regardless of whether they have been vaccinated before.

3. For live attenuated influenza virus vaccines, only one dose is required, regardless of whether you have received influenza vaccine before.

In addition, based on the World Health Organization's recommendation on simultaneous vaccination of influenza and new coronavirus vaccines, and in combination with research progress at home and abroad, it is recommended that people aged 18 and above can receive inactivated influenza vaccine and new coronavirus vaccine respectively on both limbs during one immunization service; for people under 18 years of age, it is recommended that the interval between influenza and new coronavirus vaccines should still be greater than 14 days.

Attention! It is not advisable to get the flu vaccine in these cases

Flu vaccination is safe and effective, but sometimes some mild reactions may occur. The most common is pain at the injection site, and a few people may experience symptoms such as fever and fatigue. If the body temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees and oral antipyretics are ineffective, you need to see a doctor. What special circumstances are not suitable for flu vaccination? Click here for details↓

Allergic to eggs or any component of the vaccine, especially ovalbumin.

People with acute diseases, acute attacks of serious chronic diseases and fever.

Uncontrolled epilepsy and other progressive neurological disorders.

If you have a high fever illness or acute infection, it is recommended to wait at least two weeks after symptoms subside before getting vaccinated.

If any neurological reaction occurs after birth, this product should not be used again.

Flu vaccines are strictly prohibited from being administered intravenously.

Use with caution if you have a family or personal history of convulsions, chronic diseases, epilepsy, or allergies.

It should be noted that the flu vaccine should be avoided on an empty stomach. You should be observed for at least 30 minutes after vaccination before leaving. It is not recommended to drink alcohol after receiving the flu vaccine, and it is not recommended to take a bath on the same day.

Beware of mixed infection of multiple respiratory pathogens

The new version of the influenza vaccination technical guide points out that this winter and next spring, my country may face the risk of multiple respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza interacting or co-epidemic. The reporter recently interviewed the hospital and found that respiratory diseases have increased in various places this year, especially patients with mixed infections such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and mycoplasma pneumoniae.

This year, the respiratory syncytial virus in southern my country experienced a peak in epidemics. After a brief decline, it rose again as the temperature dropped. For children, syncytial virus and influenza can easily attack together. In previous years, respiratory syncytial virus mostly occurred in children under 2 years old, but this year, the infection of older children has increased.