On the 20th, one day before the free influenza vaccination, the staff of the Infectious Disease Prevention Team checks the amount of additional vaccines to be provided to medical institutions at the injection room of the Buk-gu Public Health Center in Gwangju. (Provided by Buk-gu, Gwangju) 202.9.20 / News 1 ⓒ News1 Reporter Jung Da-um
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(Seoul = News 1) Reporter Youngmi Kwon = The 75-year-old influenza vaccination will start on the 12th, with the H3N2 virus, the strongest type of influenza virus, expected to circulate this winter.
This year’s national influenza vaccination target is △ Children aged 6 months to 13 years (born between 2009 and 31 August 2022) △ Pregnant women △ Elderly 65 years of age or older (born before December 31, 1957).
On the 21st of last month, children between the ages of 6 months and 9 years who received two doses of the flu shot for the first time in their lives were vaccinated. The 5 was extended to children from 6 months to 13 years and to pregnant women.
Seniors 75 years of age and older can receive the vaccine for 12 days, 70 to 74 years for 17 days, and 65 to 69 years for 20 days. The deadline for vaccinating these seniors is December 31st.
The flu usually occurs between November and April and is transmitted by droplets from the respiratory tract of an infected patient.
The main symptoms include high fever (above 38 degrees), dry cough, sore throat, headache, body aches, fatigue, and other complications such as otitis media and pneumonia.
According to experts, the flu virus most likely to circulate this winter is type A H3N2, known to be the most toxic.
Influenza viruses are divided into four main types: type A (H1N1, H3N2) and type B (Yamagata, Victoria). Influenza A is more likely to spread in the winter because the symptoms are stronger and the mutations are severe.
Type A H1N1 is a descendant of the Spanish flu. The H1N1 flu that occurred in 2009 also belongs to H1N1 type A. Type A H3N2 is a descendant of the so-called “Hong Kong flu”, which started spreading in Hong Kong in 1968.
Influenza A is prevalent from fall to winter, while Influenza B is a spring flu and is characterized by an outbreak around March. It is less virulent than type A virus, so the chance of mortality or complications is low.
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