Vaccination for COVID-19 subvariant available in Shanghai
The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines against XBB subvariants of Omicron is available at select neighborhood health centers and hospitals in Shanghai, according to the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Weikexin is a trivalent (XBB.1.5+BA.5+Delta) protein vaccine for adults produced by WestVac Biopharma in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. It has been approved for emergency use in China.
The XBB is the most common subvariant in China. The elderly and those with weakened immune systems are the most vulnerable.
According to Dr Huang Zhuoying of the Shanghai CDC, those eligible for the new vaccination are the elderly over the age of 60, as well as those between the ages of 18 and 59 who have a major underlying disease, low immunity, or are at high risk. Another condition is that the vaccine recipient has completed basic vaccination and has not been infected with COVID-19. If infected with a virus, it should have occurred at least six months ago.
"Chinese and expatriates can both receive the vaccination and reserve the service at the government-run Jiankangyun, or Health Cloud, platform," Huang said.
The vaccine is free.
According to experts from local health centers, with the fall and winter temperatures lowering and respiratory sickness on the rise, there has been an increase in the number of people seeking COVID-19 immunization in recent days.
"People who are experiencing an outbreak of chronic disease should postpone vaccination for three to four days after the disease has stabilized," advised Dr Chen Yan of the Bansongyuan Subdistrict Neighborhood Health Center.
Dr Wu Ying, chief of inpatient ward at Shanghai SinoUnited Hospital, pointed out the importance of vaccine for disease prevention and control in autumn and winter.
The trivalent vaccine is also available at local international hospitals.
Dr Wu Ying, chief of the inpatient ward of Shanghai SinoUnited Hospital, said it was the peak season for flu, pneumonia, and mycoplasma infection.
"Patients being infected with COVID-19 or flu will suffer poor immunity and then develop a combined bacterial infection, resulting in symptoms like high fever," she said. "We recommend eligible people to receive the new trivalent vaccine, and they can reserve the vaccination at our hospital through Jiankangyun."
"In addition to the COVID-19 vaccine, flu and pneumonia vaccines are important measures for disease prevention and control in the autumn and winter. Patients can consult their doctors for advice and immunization arrangements," she added.
