The national vaccination of domestically produced shingles vaccine has officially started, and experts recommend vaccination for people over 50 years old

New Media Editor/Wang Shan

Recently, the first live attenuated shingles vaccine suitable for people aged 40 and above in China was administered for the first time nationwide, marking the official launch of the nationwide vaccination of domestically produced shingles vaccines.

(Photo source: CCTV News)

Caused by the varicella virus that is contracted in childhood

Wu Bin, director of the Dermatology Department of Jilin Provincial People's Hospital, said that the cause of herpes zoster is very simple. It comes from the "varicella-zoster virus" that the patient was infected with in childhood. This virus will lurk in the dorsal root ganglia of the human central nervous system. With aging or due to internal and external factors such as fatigue and trauma, the immunity is reduced, and the virus will be reactivated, replicated and reproduced in the body, migrating along the nerve fibers to the surface of the skin, manifesting as herpes zoster. This disease is one of the common infectious diseases among middle-aged and elderly people.

Focus on Immunosenescence Science Vaccination

COVID-19, influenza, pneumococcal disease, and herpes zoster are common infectious diseases among the elderly. The "Core Information on Prevention of Elderly Disability" previously released by the National Health Commission also clearly pointed out that the elderly population should enhance their awareness of vaccination to prevent diseases and take the initiative to receive these four vaccines. The decline in immune function caused by aging is called immunosenescence. Data show that about 75% of the elderly aged 60 and above in my country suffer from one or more chronic diseases, and 43% have two or more chronic diseases coexisting. At present, there are many types of technical routes for vaccines suitable for the elderly in China. Experts suggest that when choosing vaccines, the elderly population should not only know the basic information such as the vaccination procedure, but also understand whether chronic diseases or other underlying diseases are contraindications for vaccination, as well as the protective efficacy, duration, and effects of different vaccine technical routes. For example, patients with immunodeficiency or immunosuppressive diseases cannot be vaccinated with live attenuated vaccines.

Herpes zoster vaccination is recommended for people over 50 years old

The survey shows that among the vaccines recommended for the elderly, less than 20% are willing to receive the shingles vaccine. However, experts point out that there are about 1.5 million new cases of shingles in people aged 50 and above in my country each year. It is worth noting that patients with chronic diseases may become more seriously ill after contracting shingles and are more likely to induce complications. It is recommended that people over 50 years old actively receive the shingles vaccine. Cui Yong, deputy director of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, said that vaccination can greatly reduce the probability of shingles. Now, it is recommended that people over 50 years old can choose to get the injection and vaccination of shingles vaccine. Clinical data show that after vaccination, the overall incidence of shingles in the population can be reduced by more than 90%.

There is a pain called "herpes zoster neuralgia"

Shingles is what common people call a dragon around the waist or a dragon around the waist. Age is the most important risk factor for shingles. People over 50 are susceptible to the disease. The older they are, the more likely they are to get sick and the more serious the condition. About 99.5% of adults aged 50 and over have latent varicella-zoster virus in their bodies. If infected with this virus in childhood, the virus remains dormant in the body. When the body's resistance decreases, it will be reactivated, causing shingles. Pain is the most troubling symptom of shingles for patients. The pain of shingles includes acute pain and postherpetic neuralgia after shingles. The pain level can reach level 10. When an attack occurs, patients often have difficulty sleeping and eating, which seriously affects their quality of life and may last for months or even years.

Vaccination is the most effective and feasible means of prevention

Vaccination with the shingles vaccine is the most economical and effective means of preventing shingles. The launch of the domestically produced shingles vaccine has broken the situation of shingles vaccine dependence on imports, and has become the first domestic attenuated live shingles vaccine suitable for people aged 40 and above. Only one injection of the immunization program is required to provide the vaccine recipient with more than 10 years of immunity. With continuous access across the country, the majority of people of appropriate age can receive the domestically produced shingles vaccine at nearby vaccination clinics. So what are the precautions for receiving the shingles vaccine? ⇩ ⇩ ⇩

(Content source: CCTV News Client, Beijing Science and Technology News)

Produced by: Science Central Kitchen

Produced by: Beijing Science and Technology News | Beijing Science and Technology Media

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