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TOKYO: Some Asian countries are implementing earlier and more aggressive flu vaccination programs this year, seeking to reduce the potential for people to contract flu and COVID-19 simultaneously, crippling health systems.
With a second or third wave of the coronavirus pandemic looming in many countries, tackling this year’s flu season, usually from December to February, has taken on greater urgency.
In Japan, the Ministry of Health is preparing 31.2 million flu vaccines, 7 percent more than last year and the highest number since 2015. Authorities are also urging symptomatic patients to call the hotlines. medical attention before undergoing tests to avoid contagion in hospitals.
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“We are going to focus our medical resources on the seriously ill in anticipation of the seasonal flu epidemic,” said Takeshi Enami, an official with the Japanese Ministry of Health last week after a meeting of disease experts.
The World Health Organization has called for widespread flu vaccination globally this year, amid concerns: the same people who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 risks, such as the elderly and people with respiratory conditions. , they are also at higher risk of getting the flu.
Data on the number of annual flu cases in Asia is limited, although Japan had around 12 million cases in the 2018/19 season, according to an official source.
In South Korea, health authorities are purchasing 30 million flu vaccines for the winter season, 20 percent more than last year. Around 19 million people will be vaccinated for free, which will cover a third of the country’s population, up from 13.8 million a year ago.
Authorities are also expanding the demographic window for free vaccination, this year covering children ages six months to 18, adults over 61, and pregnant women.
South Korea’s largest flu vaccine maker, GC Pharma, told Reuters it would make more than 10 million flu shots this season, up from 8.5 million doses last year.
In Taiwan, the government said it views seasonal flu and coronavirus as two separate concerns, as they can control COVID-19 with strict existing rules, including mandatory quarantines. Authorities said late last month they planned to provide more than 6 million free doses this year.
In China, where flu vaccines are generally not free, some local authorities have reported an increase in demand. Disease prevention authorities in the Changning district of Shanghai city told local media that they expect the demand for flu vaccines in the fall and winter to increase by 50 percent over previous years.
In Australia, where the flu season runs roughly from June to September, authorities purchased 16.5 million flu vaccines, up from 13.2 million last year.
Movements in Asia echo similar efforts in North America and Europe. In the United States, pharmaceutical companies are expected to provide about 200 million flu vaccines this year, about 20% more than usual.
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