Beijing has invested 100 million to launch the free flu vaccine inoculation for people older than 60, and ￥20 free for students in primary school and middle school. As of Oct. 22, the total amount of vaccine inoculation has reached 370 thousands person-times in the whole city. At present,, there are adequate vaccines for inoculation. And the inoculation work has been carried out smoothly. This Benefit On Citizen Policy is being operated actively and orderly.

This policy targets citizens older than 60 years (meaning who borne at or before Oct. 1, 1947) who holds the registered permanent residence in this city. All the students in primary school and middle school are also subjects of this policy.

Aged people are the primary targeted group, because they are of a higher risk on the seasonal flu due to their poor resistance. Aged people usually suffered from multi-chronic diseases, such as cerebrovascular diseases, hypertension, etc. When they are infected with flu, the symptoms of these chronic diseases might be worse, and complications of pneumonia, bronchitis, and asthma etc. would follow. Under these conditions, even death might be caused. Research indicates that after receiving flu vaccine,,the rate of CAD, MI, and asthma among patients with chronic disease involving the heart and lung has decreased sharply, and it also cost them less even if there is hospitalization, which will certainly ease the burden of their family and society. The WHO suggests that aged people should be considered for flu vaccine first; they should get one inoculation each year, and at least 75% of aged people in every member country should get the inoculation before 2010. To date, most of the west developed countries have already achieved this target, but only 5% of aged people in our city received the inoculation, far less from the 75% required by the WHO.

To make citizens’ inoculation convenient,, we have set up 575 mobile clinic for vaccine inoculation within the medical institutions in our city. People older than 60 can go to the nearest clinic service with their ID card or registered resident card, which has no limitation over districts. Students in primary school and middle school should be organized in their school to get inoculation; they can also get the inoculation in the nearest clinic with their student ID card. All the clinic for inoculation will be available to the society and serve for the citizens from Oct. 15 to Nov. 16, without break on weekends. Citizens can inquire the names and addresses of these clinics by calling the Beijing 12320 Public Health Hotline or through the Beijing Public Healthy Information Network.

In our city, October and November are the best period for vaccine inoculation in each year Antibodies will present 1 week after vaccine inoculation and reach the peak level in 2 weeks. It can provide a protection as long as one year. Up to now, a number of aged people are still not active about the flu vaccine inoculation. They believe that they are healthy enough and will not be infected without the inoculation, especially plus the decrease of flu case in the last two years because of the warm winters in beijing. However, the aged friends should notice that flu infection will come to a peak in December and the following January every year, to protect yourself and your family, you should take the flu vaccine inoculation actively, and be careful not to miss the best time for vaccine inoculation.