Commentary on: “Seasonal influenza vaccine dose distribution in 195 countries (2004–2013): Little progress in estimated global vaccination coverage”

BACKGROUND Influenza vaccination is recommended for nurses in China but is not mandatory or offered free of charge. Identifying factors that impact seasonal influenza vaccine acceptance among nurses in China may inform strategies to increase vaccination coverage in this high priority group. OBJECTIVE To determine influenza vaccination coverage and the principal factors influencing influenza vaccination among nurses in China. METHODS During March 22-April 1, 2018, we conducted an opt-in internet panel survey among registered nurses in China. Respondents were recruited from an internet-based training platform for nurses. We assessed influenza vaccination status and factors influencing influenza vaccine acceptance and refusal. RESULTS Among 22,888 nurses invited to participate, 4,706 responded, and 4,153 were valid respondents. Overall, 257 (6%) nurses reported receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine during the 2017/18 season. Vaccination coverage was highest among nurses working in Beijing (10%, P<.001) and nurses working in primary care (12%, P=.023). The top three reasons for not being vaccinated were lack of time (28%), not knowing where and when to get vaccinated (14%), and lack of confidence in the vaccine’s effectiveness (12%). Overall, 41% of nurses reported experiencing at least one episode of influenza-like illness (ILI) during the 2017/18 season; 87% of nurses kept working while sick, and 25% of nurses reported ever recommending influenza vaccination to patients. Compared with nurses who did not receive influenza vaccination in the 2017/18 season, nurses who received influenza vaccination were more likely to recommend influenza vaccination to patients (67% vs. 22%, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Influenza vaccination coverage among nurses was low, and only a small proportion recommended influenza vaccine to patients. Our findings highlight the need for a multi-pronged strategy to increase influenza vaccination among nurses in China.

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Trends in seasonal influenza vaccine distribution in the European Union: 2003-4 to 2007-8

Eurosurveillance ◽

10.2807/ese.13.43.19013-en ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 13 (43) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

M Rodríguez de Azero ◽

Collective the European Vaccine Manufacturers Influenza Working Group

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Influenza Vaccine ◽

Dose Distribution ◽

Seasonal Influenza ◽

Vaccine Dose ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Vaccine Uptake ◽

World Health ◽

Distribution Data ◽

Vaccine Distribution

Seasonal influenza is widely regarded as a continuing threat to public health, with vaccination remaining the principal measure of prophylaxis. In 2003, the World Health Organization issued targets for influenza vaccine coverage in the elderly of at least 50% by 2006 and 75% by 2010, endorsed by the European Parliament in two resolutions in 2005 and 2006. However, a number of European public health systems lack mechanisms to assess progress in influenza vaccine uptake. The European Vaccine Manufacturers group (EVM) undertook a Europe-wide survey of vaccine distribution over the last five seasons (between 2003 and 2008) to provide baseline data from which vaccination trends may be extrapolated. The survey data showed that the dose distribution level per capita in the 27 EU countries increased from 17% in 2003-4 to 20% in 2006-7; this growth was not maintained in the season 2007-8. Even without information on which age or risk groups received the vaccine, an immunisation rate of approximately 20% of the whole population falls short of the public health goal by more than half: an estimated 49% of the total population fall into risk groups recommended to receive the influenza vaccine in Europe. These data provide the only systematic review of vaccine dose distribution across Europe from a uniform source. Although they represent an important baseline parameter, age- and risk-group related vaccine uptake data with sufficient detail are needed to assist public health policy decision making, immunisation planning and monitoring. In light of this situation, and to support the improvement of immunisation rates across the EU, EVM aims to provide dose distribution data for each influenza season to assist Member States in the implementation of local immunisation policies.

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Evaluation of Influenza Vaccination Efficacy: A Universal Epidemic Model

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2016/5952890 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Lily Ph. Nizolenko ◽

Alexander G. Bachinsky ◽

Sergei I. Bazhan

Keyword(s):

Influenza Vaccine ◽

Vaccination Coverage ◽

Pandemic Influenza ◽

Epidemic Model ◽

Seasonal Influenza ◽

Influenza Epidemic ◽

Universal Vaccine ◽

Seasonal Influenza Vaccine ◽

Pandemic Strains ◽

Universal Influenza Vaccine

By means of a designed epidemic model, we evaluated the influence of seasonal vaccination coverage as well as a potential universal vaccine with differing efficacy on the aftermath of seasonal and pandemic influenza. The results of the modeling enabled us to conclude that, to control a seasonal influenza epidemic with a reproduction coefficientR0≤1.5, a 35% vaccination coverage with the current seasonal influenza vaccine formulation is sufficient, provided that other epidemiology measures are regularly implemented. IncreasingR0level of pandemic strains will obviously require stronger intervention. In addition, seasonal influenza vaccines fail to confer protection against antigenically distinct pandemic influenza strains. Therefore, the necessity of a universal influenza vaccine is clear. The model predicts that a potential universal vaccine will be able to provide sufficient reliable (90%) protection against pandemic influenza only if its efficacy is comparable with the effectiveness of modern vaccines against seasonal influenza strains (70%–80%); given that at least 40% of the population has been vaccinated in advance, ill individuals have been isolated (observed), and a quarantine has been introduced. If other antiepidemic measures are absent, a vaccination coverage of at least 80% is required.

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Influenza Vaccination Coverage among Registered Nurses in China during 2017–2018: An Internet Panel Survey

Vaccines ◽

10.3390/vaccines7040134 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 134 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jianxing Yu ◽

Xiang Ren ◽

Chuchu Ye ◽

Keqing Tian ◽

Luzhao Feng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Influenza Vaccine ◽

Influenza Vaccination ◽

Registered Nurses ◽

Vaccination Coverage ◽

Seasonal Influenza ◽

Panel Survey ◽

Seasonal Influenza Vaccine ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Principal Factors

Influenza vaccination is recommended for nurses in China but is not mandatory or offered free of charge. The main objective of this study was to determine influenza vaccination coverage and the principal factors influencing influenza vaccination among nurses in China. During 22 March–1 April 2018, we conducted an opt-in internet panel survey among registered nurses in China. Respondents were recruited from an internet-based training platform for nurses. Among 22,888 nurses invited to participate, 4706 responded, and 4153 were valid respondents. Overall, 257 (6%) nurses reported receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine during the 2017/2018 season. Vaccination coverage was highest among nurses working in Beijing (10%, p < 0.001) and nurses working in primary care (12%, p = 0.023). The top three reasons for not being vaccinated were lack of time (28%), not knowing where and when to get vaccinated (14%), and lack of confidence in the vaccine’s effectiveness (12%). Overall, 41% of nurses reported experiencing at least one episode of influenza-like illness (ILI) during the 2017/2018 season; 87% of nurses kept working while sick, and 25% of nurses reported ever recommending influenza vaccination to patients. Compared with nurses who did not receive influenza vaccination in the 2017/2018 season, nurses who received influenza vaccination were more likely to recommend influenza vaccination to patients (67% vs. 22%, p < 0.001). Influenza vaccination coverage among nurses was low, and only a small proportion recommended influenza vaccine to patients. Our findings highlight the need for a multipronged strategy to increase influenza vaccination among nurses in China.

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Safety and immunogenicity profiles of an adjuvanted seasonal influenza vaccine in Guatemalan children

The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries ◽

10.3855/jidc.4594 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 8 (09) ◽

pp. 1160-1168 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Adib Rodriguez Solares ◽

Carlos Grazioso Aragon ◽

Rodolfo Urruela Pivaral ◽

David Prado-Cohrs ◽

Victor Sales-Carmona ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adverse Events ◽

Influenza Vaccine ◽

Seasonal Influenza ◽

Vaccine Dose ◽

Antibody Responses ◽

Entire Study ◽

Seasonal Influenza Vaccine ◽

Adjuvanted Vaccine ◽

Trivalent Influenza Vaccine ◽

Antibody Titers

Introduction: The efficacy of non-adjuvanted seasonal influenza vaccine in young children is considered to be suboptimal. This study compared the safety and immunogenicity profiles of MF59-adjuvanted, trivalent, influenza vaccine (ATIV) and non-adjuvanted, trivalent, influenza vaccine (TIV) in Guatemalan children (N = 360) between 6 and < 60 months of age. Methodology: Children received two doses of ATIV or TIV administered four weeks apart. Solicited adverse reactions were recorded for seven days after each vaccination. Serious adverse events were recorded throughout the entire study period. Antibody responses were assessed by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay at baseline, four weeks after administration of the first vaccine dose, and three weeks after administration of the second dose. Results: Both ATIV and TIV were well tolerated, with similar rates of solicited reactions and adverse events observed in response to both vaccines. MF59-adjuvanted vaccine induced considerably higher antibody titers than did TIV. After two doses, the B strain-specific antibody response to TIV was insufficient to meet the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) licensure criterion for seroprotection, whereas responses to the MF59-adjuvanted vaccine met the seroprotection criterion against all three strains. Cross-reactive antibody responses to MF59-adjuvanted vaccine met the CBER seroprotection criterion against all three strains after two doses; B strain-specific heterologous responses to non-adjuvanted TIV were inadequate. Conclusions: The MF59-adjuvanted seasonal influenza vaccine was well-tolerated and highly immunogenic in children 6 to < 60 months of age, inducing seroprotective antibody titers against both the vaccine strains and antigenically distinct heterologous strains.

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