Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, December 18 Question: Four Questions about Vaccination of the Elderly – An Investigation Report from the Frontline of Epidemic Prevention and Control
Xinhua News Agency reporter
90.37% is the current proportion of the number of people who have completed the full vaccination of the new coronavirus vaccine nationwide; 86.6% and 66.4% are the proportions of the number of people over the age of 60 and over 80 who have completed the full vaccination.
With the weakening of the pathogenicity of Omicron, the popularization of vaccination, and the accumulation of experience in prevention and control, my country’s epidemic prevention and control is facing new situations and new tasks.
The Comprehensive Group of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council optimizes the implementation of the “New Ten Rules” for epidemic prevention and control, and accelerates the vaccination of the elderly against the new crown virus. The just-convened Central Economic Work Conference also pointed out that it is necessary to optimize the epidemic prevention and control measures according to the time and situation, conscientiously implement various measures for epidemic prevention and control in the new stage, focus on the prevention and control of the elderly and groups with basic diseases, and focus on maintaining health, Prevent serious illness.
Why emphasize the necessity of vaccination for the elderly? Does vaccination work? Is vaccination safe? The reporter launched an investigation on the front line of epidemic prevention and control.
On December 15, at the new crown vaccination site in Zhongguancun Street, Haidian District, Beijing, medical staff vaccinated the elderly with the new crown vaccine.Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ren Chao
How Necessary – The Elderly Group’s Defense Line Is Relatively Vulnerable
Li Cuiwen, 78, lives in a remote village in the central province. The children are all in the city, and they bring rice, flour and oil on weekdays. The vegetables are grown in their own fields, and they go to the town to go to the market once a month.
“I don’t see any outsiders.” Li Cuiwen and his wife have not been vaccinated against the new crown virus so far. “Is it true that everyone has been vaccinated, and even if we don’t vaccinate, it will not infect us?”
Li Cuiwen is not the only one who has similar questions. In this regard, Xia Gang, director of the Department of Health and Immunization of the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention, said that a considerable number of disabled and semi-disabled people among the elderly in our country live at home for a long time and rarely go out. There is a possibility of infection.
Compared with the previous strains of the new coronavirus, the pathogenicity of Omicron is weakening, but the infectivity has become stronger. The extremely fast transmission speed is multiplied by my country’s huge population base. Even if the severe disease rate and mortality rate are already very low, the number of people at risk cannot be underestimated.
During the epidemic in Shanghai from March to June this year, compared with unvaccinated people, the death risk of people over 60 years old who completed enhanced immunization was reduced by 98.08%, and the death risk of people over 80 years old who completed enhanced immunization was reduced by 95.83%.
At the press conference of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council held a few days ago, Xia Gang introduced that according to research, if the elderly over 80 years old do not receive a single dose of vaccine, the risk of death after infection with the new coronavirus is about 14.7%; After 1 dose of vaccine, the risk of death drops to 7.16%; if 3 doses of vaccine are received, the risk of death drops to 1.5%.
“I strongly appeal to accelerate the strengthening of vaccination, especially to strengthen the vaccination of vulnerable groups such as the elderly.” Zhong Nanshan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said.
On December 15, medical staff at the community health service center checked the information of the elderly who came to receive the new crown vaccine in the preparation of the second group of communities in Kangmei Street, Liangjiang New District, Chongqing.Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Huang Wei
How Effective—Survey Data Show Significantly Reduced Severe Illness Risk
In Chongqing, Zhang, an 84-year-old recovering patient, told reporters that he suffers from hypertension, diabetes and other underlying diseases. He completed the third dose of vaccination in July this year and was infected with the new crown virus in November. Effectively controlled, has been discharged from the hospital.
On December 16, at the homes of residents of Honghe Road Community, Zhongshan Road Street, Yongchuan District, Chongqing City, the mobile vaccination team conducted pre-vaccination consultation and physical examination for the vaccinated elderly.Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Huang Wei
“Studies at home and abroad have confirmed that vaccination has good effects in preventing severe illness and death.” Xia Gang said that the elderly are more likely to develop severe illness or even die after being infected with the new coronavirus, and the benefits of vaccination against the new coronavirus vaccine are the greatest.
At most, Beijing Ditan Hospital admitted and treated more than 100 patients with new coronary pneumonia over the age of 80. According to Chen Xiaoyou, deputy director of the hospital, the vaccination rate of these elderly patients is generally low, and the incidence of severe illness after illness is relatively high, especially after the new crown combined with underlying diseases causes more exacerbations.
Ding Zhen, director of the Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Department of Hefei Binhu Hospital, a designated hospital for the treatment of new coronary pneumonia in Hefei, told reporters: “For some elderly people with underlying diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, the infection of the new coronavirus may aggravate the internal Inflammatory reactions can aggravate the condition of the underlying disease, and even lead to multiple organ failure in severe cases.”
Ding Zhen introduced that from the observation of their clinical treatment, the elderly who have been vaccinated are less likely to get worse and the time required for nucleic acid to turn negative is shorter.
In October 2022, The Lancet Infectious Diseases published the results of a study based on real-world vaccinated populations released by a research team from the School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong University. The study shows that the effective rate of severe disease prevention for the elderly over 60 years old after receiving two doses of domestic inactivated vaccine is about 70%, and the effective rate of severe disease prevention after the third dose of booster immunization reaches more than 95%.
On December 13, at the Baihedong Street Community Health Service Center in Liwan District, Guangzhou, medical staff entered information and consulted elderly residents who came to receive the new crown vaccine.Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Deng Hua
Safety Geometry——Clarify vaccination contraindications to ensure maximum safety
In the past few days, in Huanghuagang Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, the number of elderly people who actively consulted and made appointments for vaccination exceeded 300 per day, a significant increase compared to usual.
Uncle Yu and Aunt Ye, who live in Nongben Community, had concerns about vaccination because of underlying diseases. After many visits by community workers and volunteers, Aunt Ye was vaccinated under the health monitoring of doctors, and there were no adverse reactions. The next day, Uncle Yu also completed the vaccination. “Now I know, the previous worries are unnecessary.”
On December 12, in Guangzhou Iron and Steel New City, Liwan District, Guangzhou, elderly residents got off the convenience vaccination vehicle after being vaccinated against the new crown.Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Deng Hua
The reporter’s investigations in many places found that the enthusiasm of the elderly for vaccination has increased significantly recently, but some elderly people still worry about the safety of vaccines. Many elderly people frankly told reporters that they are mainly worried about “older age, underlying diseases, and adverse reactions after vaccination.”
“Chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure are not absolute taboos for vaccination against the new crown virus. As long as these chronic diseases are well controlled and in a stable period, they can be vaccinated against the new crown virus vaccine.” Director of the Science and Technology Development Center of the National Health and Health Commission and a scientific researcher of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council Zheng Zhongwei, leader of the working group of the vaccine research and development team, said.
According to the situation of vaccine research and development and the practice of vaccination work, the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council has clarified the vaccination taboos for the elderly in the “Work Plan for Strengthening the New Coronary Virus Vaccination of the Elderly”, including 4 types of situations where vaccination cannot be or is postponed. At the same time, local health and health departments must implement the “four haves” requirements that vaccination units have emergency emergency personnel from general hospitals above the second level, have first aid equipment and medicines, have 120 ambulances on site, and have green channels for treatment in general hospitals above the second level. , to ensure vaccination safety.
Carry out vaccination contraindication judgment training level by level to guide medical staff in scientifically judging vaccination contraindications; select well-known doctors from various specialties to form a vaccination consultation expert group, and patiently answer various consultation questions… Many places are refining the work of answering questions and solving puzzles to eliminate the elderly to the greatest extent. Human vaccination concerns.
What is the convenience——”the last 100 meters” is constantly getting through
Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoons are the days when the “medical light cavalry team” of Pingguoyuan Street, Shijingshan District, Beijing come to vaccinate. The “Medical Light Cavalry Team” is composed of 5 to 6 street, community workers and medical staff. They are divided into two groups to inoculate households, and each group can enter about 12 households.
“When entering the house, a health assessment will be carried out, asking whether the elderly have underlying diseases, looking at past medical history, etc., to confirm whether the elderly are suitable for vaccination.” said Luo Yan, one of the medical staff of the “Medical Light Cavalry Team” and the medical department of Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University. , “Further communication with the family members after the assessment, the family members agree to sign the informed consent, and vaccinate.”
Similar situations have appeared in many places recently. The Jinbi Yayuan Community in Baiyun District, Guangzhou opened a special session on the vaccination against the new crown virus for the elderly over 60 years old. The 63-year-old Ms. Liu suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. The medical staff asked her about various physical indicators in detail, and after evaluating that she met the vaccination requirements, she was guided to receive the third dose of vaccine.
On December 10, He Lingling (left), a nurse at the Fangmiao Street Community Health Service Center, vaccinated the elderly in the community at the new crown vaccination site in Fangmiao Street, Yaohai District, Hefei City, Anhui Province.Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Guo Chen
Li Zizhen, director of the Planning and Exemption Office of the Community Health Service Center of Dongcheng Street Office, Jieshou City, Anhui Province, told reporters that recently, 20 or 30 elderly people have come to receive the new crown virus vaccine every day, and the consultation calls have been from morning till night. A mobile on-site vaccination service team has been established locally, equipped with first-aid equipment and medicines, and can come to the door at any time.
Set up green channels for the elderly, temporary vaccination sites, mobile vaccination vehicles, etc.; select medical personnel with rich experience in diagnosis, treatment and vaccination to form vaccination teams, carry common equipment and medicines needed during the post-vaccination observation period, and provide medical care for the disabled and semi-disabled elderly Provide door-to-door vaccination services…Many places are optimizing various convenience measures as required to get through the “last 100 meters” of vaccination for the elderly.
For the 267 million elderly people over the age of 60 in the country, every 1 percentage point increase in the vaccination rate means that more than 2 million people have built a barrier against severe illness and death. “The Spring Festival is coming, and now the vaccination usually takes half a month to start to be effective. This is of great benefit to preventing large-scale transmission when the people go home during the Spring Festival and the Spring Festival travel period, when a large number of people migrate.” Zhong Nanshan said.
[Responsible editor: Pan Yiqiao]