China CDC released a new version of influenza vaccination guidelines.

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 6 (Reporter Gu Tiancheng) added new research evidence, updated relevant policies and measures for influenza prevention and control, and updated the types of influenza vaccines listed and used in China in 2023-2024 and vaccination suggestions … The reporter learned from the China CDC on the 6 th that the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention has recently issued the "Technical Guide for Influenza Vaccine Vaccination in China (2023-2024)", which provides guidance for better guiding influenza prevention and control and vaccine use in China.

Experts from the Infectious Diseases Management Office of China CDC said that influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus, which is seriously harmful to human health, and people are generally susceptible to influenza virus. High-risk groups such as pregnant women, infants, the elderly and patients with chronic diseases are more harmful after being infected with influenza, and influenza outbreaks are prone to occur in places where people gather, such as schools, kindergartens and nursing homes.

Vaccination against influenza every year is an effective means to prevent influenza and reduce the burden of influenza-related severe illness and death. The new version of the guide is clear, and it is recommended that all people who are ≥6 months old and have no vaccination contraindications should be vaccinated against influenza. Priority is given to the timely vaccination of key and high-risk groups including medical personnel, the elderly aged 60 and above, people suffering from one or more chronic diseases, children aged 6 to 59 months, their family members and caregivers.

According to the guidelines, in terms of vaccination times, it is recommended that children aged 6 months to 8 years old who have not been vaccinated with influenza vaccine before should be vaccinated with 2 doses at intervals of ≥4 weeks; In 2022-2023 or before, one dose or more of influenza vaccine was inoculated, and then one dose was inoculated; Children and adults aged 9 years and above need only be vaccinated once regardless of whether they have been vaccinated with influenza before. For live attenuated influenza virus vaccine, no matter whether it has been vaccinated with influenza vaccine or not, only one dose is given.

The guidelines also suggest that all localities should carry out vaccination as soon as possible after the vaccine supply is in place, and try to complete vaccination before the local influenza epidemic season. For people who can be vaccinated with different types or different manufacturers of vaccine products, the recipients or their guardians can voluntarily choose to vaccinate any kind of influenza vaccine, and there is no priority recommendation.