Chinese expert calls for large-scale flu vaccination no later than October

A Chinese expert has urged the public to get a flu shot before October, warning of the possibility that COVID-19 may collide with the seasonal flu.

Wang Chen, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, made the remarks at the annual meeting of the China Association for Science and Technology.

If a patient is infected by both the flu and COVID-19, it will complicate diagnosis, increase the difficulty of isolation, and require more resources, said Wang, adding that the mortality rate may also rise notably. He said that timely and large-scale flu vaccination is the most effective way to prevent coinfection.

Wang said the best time to get a flu shot is before the end of next month and no later than October. The peak flu season is in December and January. It takes up to four weeks for humans to develop antibodies after flu vaccination.