Vaccination Guidelines 2025

This year, domestic vaccination will no longer implement a unified universal vaccination strategy. Instead, it will be based on the core principles of "age stratification, adaptation of basic diseases, and dynamic adjustment of epidemic seasons." All non-immunization program vaccines will follow the rules of voluntary self-payment and priority protection of high-risk groups. There are no relevant policies that bind vaccination requirements to travel and public service permissions.

Last week, I was on duty at a community vaccination site. I met Aunt Zhang, who was carrying a square dance bag. She held a wrinkled three-shot COVID-19 vaccination record and asked, "Girl, I heard in the group that you won't be allowed to enter the park unless you get the fourth shot this year?" Do I need to fight now? ”I handed her a glass of warm water and talked to her about the changes in this year's guidelines for a long time - there are no restrictive policies. The vaccination strategy in the past two years has already shifted from "broad coverage" to "precise adaptation". To put it bluntly, your own physical condition has the final say as to whether and what vaccinations you want. We are just giving you a reference.

The most heated debate on the Internet right now is whether the COVID-19 vaccine should be continued. Let me tell you the facts here: the official recommendation given by the CDC this year is that for people over 65 years old, people with underlying diseases such as diabetes/COPD, and people with immune deficiencies, every 6 -Vaccinate a new vaccine that matches the current circulating strain every 8 months. We ordered the batch that just arrived last month, which is the bivalent vaccine for XBB.1.16 and the new branch of Omicron. During this period, the vaccines we received were basically those accompanied by family members of bedridden elderly people. However, there are also different research conclusions. Follow-up data released by the School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong at the end of last year showed that for people aged 18-59 who have no underlying diseases and have been infected with COVID-19 at least three times, the effective protection period of neutralizing antibodies in the body can last for more than 12 months. The benefits of frequent vaccination are actually very low.

I usually meet young people in their 30s with no underlying medical conditions who ask this question. I usually ask two questions first: Do you often have to travel to confined places on business? Are there any elderly or children at home that you need to take care of? If you are basically two o'clock and one line at a time, and you haven't had any sun exposure within half a year, then you don't need to join in the fun. If you are really worried about infection, wearing a mask when going out is actually much more effective than worrying about whether to get an injection.

In addition to COVID-19, this year's guide also has many down-to-earth adjustments to the recommendations for commonly used vaccines such as HPV and influenza. For example, the male HPV vaccination, which we have been clamoring for for several years, has finally been officially recommended in the guidelines this year. A dozen young men in our community have come to make appointments this month for nine-price appointments. Someone asked me before, "Is it a waste of money for men to get this vaccination?" I also made it clear to him from both sides: those who support it believe that male vaccination can not only reduce the risk of perianal cancer and oropharyngeal cancer, but also reduce the probability of HPV infection in partners. ； There are also voices of opposition. They feel that although there is no need to lottery for the nine-price vaccine, supply is still tight in some areas, and it is of greater public health value to give priority to women for vaccination. Our actual operation now is also to open appointments when the supply is sufficient. If we encounter a batch with tight supply, we still prioritize women first, which everyone can understand.

There is also the flu vaccine. In the past, everyone defaulted to just one shot every autumn and winter. When the flu broke out in Guangzhou last spring, many people received the vaccine in October of the previous year. By April of the following year, the antibody titer had dropped, but the fever still reached 39 degrees. Therefore, this year’s guide specifically added a sentence that residents of southern provinces can take the vaccine according to the current situation. Due to the local epidemic peak, we can flexibly choose the vaccination time without being stuck in the autumn and winter. In March this year, our community took the initiative to send reminders to families with children in the jurisdiction. If there are children in kindergarten at home, it is no problem to get a make-up dose in the spring. We ordered the number of influenza vaccinations this spring to increase twice as fast as last year.

After working in public health for 6 years, the biggest pitfall I have encountered this year is the various "influencer vaccines", such as "cancer preventive vaccines" and "anti-aging vaccines", which are so popular that they are ridiculously expensive. Last week, an uncle came to ask about the "Herpes Zoster Special Effect Vaccine" sold by a WeChat business, saying that it was half cheaper than our community. I checked the database of the State Food and Drug Administration, and it was not approved at all. It was a complete fake. This year’s guide specifically includes a list of 42 domestically approved vaccines at the end. If you are unsure, you can check it out on the official CDC website. If you are not sure, don’t touch anything that is not on the list, no matter how nice it is. If any new vaccine is approved, our community vaccination site will definitely be notified as soon as possible, and it will not be the turn of micro-businessmen to sell it first.

In fact, I feel that the core change in the 2025 version of the guideline is that it is becoming more and more pragmatic. It neither promotes the vaccine as a miracle cure-all, nor demonizes its side effects. You know your own physical condition and living environment best. If you are really unsure, go to the vaccination site near your home and ask a few questions. Our doctors and nurses on duty are all available to explain to you. It is better than all kinds of sensational rumors you read on the Internet, right?