The joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council printed and distributed the recent work plan of COVID-19 vaccination for key populations | epidemic situation | COVID-19
Vaccination is an important means to prevent and control the epidemic situation of COVID-19 infection. Reporters learned from the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention on the 1st that, in order to further prepare for the COVID-19 in the autumn and winter of 2023 and maximize the protection of people's life safety and health, the Comprehensive Group of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council recently issued the Work Plan for COVID-19 Vaccination among Key Populations in the Near Future, which proposed to implement targeted COVID-19 vaccination for key populations such as the elderly.
At present, the XBB variant of COVID-19 has become the main epidemic strain in China. Research has shown that the XBB variant has strong immune escape ability, and key populations such as the elderly are more susceptible to infection with the XBB variant.
For this reason, the plan is clear that during the prevalence of the XBB variant of COVID-19, the focus is this autumn and winter, and priority is given to the vaccine containing the antigen of the XBB variant.
According to the plan, the target population for this vaccination campaign should meet the following two conditions simultaneously: firstly, the elderly population aged 60 and above, or the population aged 18 to 59 with more serious underlying diseases, immunocompromised individuals, and high-risk individuals for infection; Second, people who have completed basic immunization or have been infected with COVID-19.
In terms of time interval, target populations who have completed basic immunization or have been infected with COVID-19 can be vaccinated with one dose of vaccine containing antigen of XBB variant three to six months after the last vaccination or six months after the last infection. For those who have already received vaccines containing the XBB variant antigen component, it is not recommended to receive other types of vaccines available in the previously issued vaccination plan at this stage. Those who have not completed basic immunization and are not infected with COVID-19 should complete basic immunization first.