October 8, 2024

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China begins COVID vaccination against XBB Variant for Key Populations in Beijing

China begins COVID vaccination against XBB Variant for Key Populations in Beijing



China begins COVID vaccination against XBB Variant for Key Populations in Beijing. Implementation of XBB Variant Antigen Component COVID-19 Vaccination for Key Populations.

CCTV News on December 11, 2023, according to the Beijing Municipal Center for Disease Prevention and Control, the winter and spring seasons are high-risk periods for respiratory diseases, with various pathogens concurrently circulating.

Currently, the predominant strain of the novel coronavirus is XBB and its subtypes, which exhibit strong immune evasion capabilities, posing a relatively higher threat to the elderly and individuals with compromised immune functions.

In preparation for the upcoming winter and spring COVID-19 situation, and to safeguard the lives and health of the public to the greatest extent, the city has recently initiated the vaccination of key populations, such as the elderly, with a new COVID-19 vaccine containing the XBB variant antigen component, referred to as the XBB vaccine.

China begins COVID vaccination against XBB Variant for Key Populations in Beijing

reference image source:xinhuanet


Who Needs the XBB Vaccine?

People aged 60 and above, individuals between 18 and 59 with underlying severe health conditions, those with compromised immune functions, and individuals at high risk of infection should receive the XBB vaccine.

If people fall into the mentioned categories and have completed the basic COVID-19 vaccination (received 2 doses or more) or have previously been infected with the virus, people are eligible for the XBB vaccine during this phase.

Vaccination Timing Requirements

Individuals meeting the vaccination criteria can receive one dose of the XBB vaccine three months after their last vaccination or six months after their last infection. If people have both been vaccinated and infected, the most recent event determines the eligibility period.

Preference for Vaccines Containing XBB Variant Antigen Component

As per the World Health Organization’s updates on COVID-19 virus surveillance, there is currently no prevalent original strain worldwide (including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta), with the XBB lineage dominating globally. To generate more effective neutralization capabilities, it is recommended to opt for vaccines containing the XBB variant antigen component.

Currently, there are two types of XBB vaccines available in Beijing: the Beijing Shenzhou Recombinant COVID-19 Virus Beta/BA.1/BQ.1.1/XBB.1 Variant Trimeric Protein Vaccine, abbreviated as Shenzhou New Quadrivalent Vaccine, and the Chengdu Weisike Recombinant Trivalent COVID-19 Virus (XBB+BA.5+Delta Variant) Trimeric Protein Vaccine, abbreviated as Weisike Trivalent Vaccine. Either of these vaccines can be chosen for administration.


About COVID XBB Variants

Certainly! The XBB.1.5 variant of SARS-CoV-2 is a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant that was first detected in the United States in October 2022 and has since been detected in 38 countries 1.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 80% of detections are from the US 1.

As of January 16, 2023, the number of XBB.1.5 infections remains low in Canada but is growing at approximately 9% per day 1.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US has been closely monitoring the spread of the XBB.1.5 variant and has reported that it is responsible for 43% of new coronavirus cases as of January 13, 2023 2.

The CDC has also reported that the updated COVID-19 boosters from Pfizer Inc/BioNTech and Moderna helped prevent symptomatic infections against the new XBB-related subvariants, offering new evidence of how the vaccines are effective against the XBB variants 3.

The CDC has published detailed information on the Omicron variant and its sub-lineages on their website 1.

You can find the latest information on the variants, including XBB.1.5, on the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker 1.

Sources:

  1. cdc.gov
  2. usnews.com
  3. globalnews.ca
  4. usnews.com

China begins COVID vaccination against XBB Variant for Key Populations in Beijing

Reference:

1.https://news.cctv.com/2023/12/11/ARTI5D9NytoOuTwtO3kg2O3W231211.shtml

(source:internet, reference only)


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