We will implement 20 measures to optimize prevention and control, and accelerate COVID-19 vaccination for the elderly in many places.
On November 11th, the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council announced 20 measures to further optimize the prevention and control work, which mentioned, "Accelerate the improvement of vaccination coverage, especially for the elderly."
On November 12th, Chang Jile, deputy director of the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention, stressed at the conference of joint prevention and control mechanism in the State Council that the elderly should take the initiative to vaccinate and strengthen immunization in time. Only by improving the vaccination rate of the elderly can we lay a good foundation for constantly optimizing and adjusting the epidemic policy according to the situation.
The Paper noted that in recent days, many parts of the country have actively adjusted epidemic prevention policies and issued a series of measures in response to Article 20. Among them, in terms of strengthening the immunization coverage rate of the elderly, many people issued a document calling for: the elderly should take the initiative to vaccinate in time and strengthen immunization. "It is very necessary and important for the elderly to vaccinate!"
Very urgent
On November 11th, the State Council Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism issued the Notice on Further Optimizing the Prevention and Control Measures of COVID-19 Epidemic, and doing the prevention and control work scientifically and accurately (hereinafter referred to as the Notice), and issued 20 measures to further optimize the prevention and control of the epidemic.
It mentioned, "Advance vaccination in Covid-19 in an orderly manner. Formulate a plan to accelerate vaccination and accelerate the increase of vaccination coverage, especially for the elderly. "
Data show that as of November 11th, China has received 3.44 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine, covering 1.34 billion people. Among them, 239 million elderly people over 60 years old were vaccinated, and 228 million elderly people over 60 years old were vaccinated in the whole process, covering 90.65% and 86.38% of the population over 60 years old respectively. 180 million people completed intensive immunization.
In China, the whole vaccination rate of the elderly over 80 years old is 65.7%, and the number of people over 80 years old who have been vaccinated with booster needles accounts for 40% of the total number of elderly over 80 years old.
"The total number of vaccinations in COVID-19 in China is among the best in the world, but the vaccination rate of the elderly over 80 years old is really not very high." Chang Jile said that according to the statistics of Omicron epidemic in the first half of this year, 96% of the people who died in this epidemic were over 60 years old and 71% were over 80 years old.
Chang Jile said that from the research situation at home and abroad in the past two years, the effect of vaccine in reducing severe illness and death is obvious, but from the perspective of the number of vaccines, the space is unbalanced, especially for the elderly over 80 years old. It is very necessary and urgent to improve the whole vaccination rate of the elderly and strengthen the needle.
Advance in many places
Recently, many places across the country have actively adjusted epidemic prevention policies according to the "Twenty Measures" to promote the elderly population to strengthen immunization coverage.
On November 14th, Wuhan CDC appealed that there are more than two million elderly people aged 60 and over in this city, with a large population base. There are still some elderly people who have not been vaccinated or have not been vaccinated in the whole process for various reasons, so it is also a "short board" to build and consolidate the national immunity barrier.
Yang Xiaobing, director of the Institute of Infectious Diseases Prevention of Wuhan CDC, said that caring for the health of the elderly is the responsibility of the whole society! Only by improving the vaccination rate of the elderly, will our immune barrier be consolidated and truly win the initiative and time for the city’s epidemic prevention and control!
In addition, Qinghai, Dalian and other places have issued relevant notices on promoting the work.
On November 12th, the Office of the Command for Prevention and Treatment of Pneumonia Infected in novel coronavirus, Haibei Prefecture, Qinghai Province issued the Notice on Resolutely Implementing the Twenty Measures for Optimizing and Adjusting the Prevention and Control Mechanism of Joint Prevention and Control in the State Council, saying that the vaccination in Covid-19 should be promoted in an orderly manner to ensure that the coverage rate of enhanced immunization among the elderly reached over 91.2% before the end of the year.
According to the notice, all member units of county headquarters and state headquarters should adhere to the bottom line thinking, highlight the problem orientation, grasp the key links, and do a good job of orderly work in the implementation of optimization and adjustment measures to ensure that the epidemic risk is generally controllable. Among them, regarding the "orderly promotion of vaccination in Covid-19", the notice clearly requires: 1. Continue to accelerate the vaccination work in COVID-19, accelerate the improvement of vaccination coverage rate, especially for the elderly, and ensure that the vaccination coverage rate of the elderly will reach over 91.2% before the end of the year; 2. According to the work arrangement of the national and provincial headquarters, the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine was promoted in an orderly manner.
The Notice of Dalian Municipality on Further Optimizing COVID-19 Epidemic Prevention and Control Measures and Doing a Good Job in Prevention and Control issued by the General Command of COVID-19 Epidemic Prevention and Control in Dalian, Liaoning Province requires that all measures for optimizing epidemic prevention and control should be fully implemented from November 11th in accordance with the requirements of the Notice on Further Optimizing COVID-19 Epidemic Prevention and Control Measures and Doing a Good Job in Prevention and Control.
Among them, regarding "vigorously promoting vaccination in Covid-19", the circular pointed out that "the effect of Covid-19 vaccine on reducing severe illness and death is obvious, and citizens who have not completed the intensive vaccination, especially those over 60 years old, people with high risk of infection and people with low immunity, should complete the intensive vaccination of Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible to obtain the best protection effect. Street communities in various regions should have a clear base of the elderly and people with basic diseases in their respective areas, establish ledgers, do a good job in publicity and policy interpretation, and guide eligible elderly and people with basic diseases ‘ All kinds should be planted ’ 。”
very important
The State Council joint prevention and control mechanism conference has repeatedly stressed that we should accelerate the vaccination of the elderly.
Why is it so important for the elderly to be vaccinated? In this regard, Wang Guiqiang, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases of the First Hospital of Peking University, said that the elderly, especially those with basic diseases, are prone to serious illness and death after being infected with COVID-19, which has been proved by domestic and foreign data. The resistance of the elderly generally declines, and having basic diseases is more likely to lead to the deterioration of the condition and increase the severity and death.
"Therefore, six types of high-risk people have been identified in the diagnosis and treatment plan of COVID-19 in China, and we should pay attention to these high-risk people who are seriously ill or even die after COVID-19 infection." Wang Guiqiang said.
So, how can the elderly effectively prevent infection, severe illness and death? Wang Guiqiang introduced that, firstly, from the aspect of infection prevention, wearing masks, hand hygiene and social distance are effective preventive measures, which are also applicable to the elderly. Secondly, vaccination is an effective means to prevent serious illness and death. It has been clearly confirmed at home and abroad that vaccination can effectively reduce the risk of serious illness and death of the elderly and basic patients.
Wang Guiqiang appealed that "the elderly, especially those over the age of 80 who have basic diseases, must be actively vaccinated to avoid the risk of serious illness and death after infection."
Chang Jile also reminded the elderly at the press conference, "Our country has good experience, good organization and good vaccination services, whether it is the vaccination of COVID-19 vaccine or other vaccines in the future, so when the elderly are vaccinated, don’t have too many other concerns, but when you are vaccinated, you should talk to the vaccination doctor and make your overall situation clear."