Mass vaccination against the virus has begun in Russia

A flu vaccination campaign has started in Russia, during which it is planned to vaccinate at least 60% of the population, said the head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova. The first cases of the virus are already being registered, and the surveillance service expects an increase in “medium intensity” by the end of the year. Experts note that the flu, which took a backseat during the coronavirus pandemic, is gaining strength – getting vaccinated against it is now more important than against COVID-19.

Rospotrebnadzor recommended that regional authorities consider preparing for the epidemic season of influenza, ARVI and new coronavirus infection in 2023–2024. In particular, a flu vaccination campaign has started in Russia. This was announced by the head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova at the Eastern Economic Forum. According to her, it is planned to vaccinate, as usual, 60% of the population – more than 85 million people. Last year, when the incidence of influenza in the country increased 11 times during the year, 74 million Russians were vaccinated (according to Rospotrebnadzor as of December 2022). In 2021, 85.9 million people were vaccinated against the flu, in 2019 – 73.9 million people.

Almost half of the required volume of flu vaccine has already been delivered to the regions, Anna Popova stated, and the vaccination campaign is “gaining momentum.” The composition of the drug takes into account the new variant of the AH1N1 strain, known as swine flu. “I would like to note that the most dangerous variant of influenza AN1N1, the 2009 pandemic, this year has a new variant that is included in the vaccine, and that is why it is also necessary to get vaccinated,” Ms. Popova emphasized.

The head of Rospotrebnadzor noted the earlier than usual start of the ARVI and influenza season this year: the first cases of influenza are already being registered, but an increase in incidence is expected at the end of the year.

“Today in Russia, rhinoviruses predominate as pathogens that cause the largest number of diseases with acute respiratory viral infections, but there is also influenza. Unfortunately, summer outbreaks have already been reported in various countries around the world in the Northern Hemisphere. And we expect a moderate-intensity rise that will begin by the end of the year. Usually this is November-December,” said Ms. Popova. She noted that the Russian quadrivalent vaccine covers all possible risks from the disease, and recalled that Russia is the only state in the world that vaccinates more than half of its citizens at the expense of the federal budget: “There is no other country like this. And, of course, we need to take advantage of this.”

Associate Professor of the Department of Infectious Diseases of RUDN University Sergei Voznesensky notes that due to the annual mass vaccination of the population against influenza, the incidence of this virus has decreased by more than a hundred times since 1997–2000. “The influenza virus, like the coronavirus, is constantly mutating, and as a result, the vaccine is being improved every year. Therefore, in order for us to successfully get through this epidemic season, we need to get vaccinated now, in September, and preferably no later,” says Mr. Voznesensky. He emphasizes that at the moment, vaccination against flu is more important than against coronavirus: “If we see a significant increase in the incidence of COVID-19, then vaccination will also be necessary. But for now, it’s more important to protect yourself from the flu.”

Ekaterina Serebrennikova, a general practitioner at the medical technical company Doctor Nearby, agrees that the flu, which has “relegated to the background during the pandemic,” is gaining strength, so vaccination against this virus is becoming more important: “Obviously, the coronavirus will remain with us for a long time, which means a mix of infections is possible. This increases the relevance of vaccination. At least getting a flu shot will reduce the risk of getting sick.” Mrs. Serebrennikova reminds that influenza is a serious disease that is dangerous due to such severe complications as pneumonia, myocarditis, meningitis, and the frequent addition of bacterial infections. “The worst sufferers of this infection are children under five years of age, pregnant women, elderly people over 65 years of age, people with chronic diseases and immunodeficiencies. They are recommended to get vaccinated first,” the doctor sums up. Olga Shuppo, scientific director of the Grand Clinic network of immunorehabilitation and preventive medicine clinics, confirms that people from risk groups need to be vaccinated and reminds: any vaccination is an additional burden on the body, and one should prepare for it.

Sergei Voznesensky draws attention to the fact that a large amount of pseudoscientific information surrounding the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 played a negative role in the popularization of vaccination in general: “Some segments of the population will transfer these unfounded data about the supposed dangers of vaccination against coronavirus to other vaccine preparations, which is why Vaccination coverage may decline. If my forecast turns out to be wrong, I will be only happy.”

Natalia Kostarnova