Vietnam has new flu vaccine that prevents 4 strains of virus

In early October 2021, the VNVC Vaccination Center System introduced a new generation of influenza vaccine for children and adults. This is the only vaccine in Vietnam that can prevent 4 strains of seasonal influenza virus, also known as the quadrivalent vaccine, which is being used in more than 100 countries around the world.

Dr. Bach Thi Chinh - Medical Director of VNVC Vaccination Center System said that previously, Vietnam only had a trivalent influenza vaccine containing 3 influenza strains including A/(H3N2), A/(H1N1) and one influenza strain B (Yamagata or Victoria). The new vaccine also has an additional influenza strain B, which means it simultaneously contains 4 influenza strains that are currently causing the most disease, providing more effective protection and wider coverage of influenza strains. The booster vaccination schedule is once a year.

According to statistics from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), each year there are from 290,000 to 650,000 deaths worldwide related to seasonal flu.

In Vietnam, seasonal flu usually spreads in the fall and peaks during the winter months. Seasonal flu can also continue into the spring, at unusual times lasting until May. According to the General Department of Preventive Medicine (VNCDC), the most common strains of influenza virus in Vietnam are influenza A (H3N2), influenza A (H1N1), influenza B and influenza C. In 2019 alone, the country recorded more than 400,000 cases of influenza, with 10 deaths. Influenza remains a global threat.

VNVC ensures stable costs so that people have the opportunity to access the new generation flu vaccine. Photo: Phong Lan

WHO recommends that annual flu vaccination helps proactively prevent the disease early, is a simple and cost-effective measure. VNCDC also informs that vaccination can reduce the mortality rate due to flu by 70-80%, prevent infection and reduce complications by 60%. People who have been vaccinated with flu may have milder illness, shorter illness duration and are less likely to die than those who have not been vaccinated.

According to Dr. Bach Thi Chinh, the arrival of the quadrivalent influenza vaccine in Vietnam has timely supplemented the shortage in the market, vaccinating people in the context of the epidemic, and injecting the influenza vaccine also helps reduce underlying respiratory diseases, limiting damage to the body if unfortunately infected with Covid-19.

According to theguardian, thosecovid-19 patientThose who did not get a flu shot had a 45-58% higher risk of stroke, a 40% higher risk of blood clots, and a 36-45% higher risk of sepsis. Patients were also more likely to be treated in the ICU (20% higher) and the emergency room (58% higher).

Dr. Chinh cited research showing that the rate of Covid-19 patients also decreased in the group of subjects who had been vaccinated against seasonal flu. This is the result of the process of "trained immunity". Seasonal flu vaccination has activated the body's adaptive immune response, thereby creating specific immunity through the immune response process, producing antibodies to destroy antigens when exposed repeatedly to a similar antigen.

Dr. Chinh added that in Vietnam, children under 18 years old have not been vaccinated against Covid-19. If vaccinated against seasonal flu, children can increase their resistance against the Sars-Cov-2 virus and reduce the risk of severe Covid-19. The new quadrivalent flu vaccine contributes to enhancing the ability to fight many dangerous flu strains.

"Influenza vaccination is essential in addition to Covid-19 vaccination. Some countries encourage influenza and pneumococcal vaccination along with Covid-19 vaccination to achieve combined disease prevention, reducing time and effort for the vaccinated person," added Dr. Chinh.