Autumn and winter are peak seasons for influenza. The Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) reminds everyone to get vaccinated for effective prevention of autumn and winter influenza.
Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. It is highly contagious, causing high fever, coughing, and body aches, and leading to severe complications such as pneumonia and myocarditis.
Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent flu and its complications. Since their introduction, flu vaccines have undergone extensive clinical research and seen widespread use, proven to be safe and effective in generating strong immune responses across all age groups and effectively preventing the occurrence and spread of flu.
The following groups of people are highly recommended to get vaccinated.
The elderly: Older adults have relatively weaker immune systems and often suffer from chronic underlying diseases. Their risk of exacerbation and death after infection is significantly higher than that of other groups. Vaccination can effectively reduce the severity of influenza-related illnesses and hospitalization rates.
Children: Children's immune systems are not yet fully developed, making them more susceptible to flu compared to adults. This is especially true for school-age children, who study, play, and eat in close contact with each other, leading to cluster outbreaks. Flu jabs can help them reduce instances of cluster outbreaks and absence from school due to illness.
Individuals with chronic medical conditions: Patients with underlying diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes may experience worsening of their pre-existing conditions after contracting influenza. Extensive research has confirmed that vaccination can effectively reduce acute exacerbation and complications of these chronic diseases.
Other key groups: These include healthcare workers, staff workers at nursing homes, sanatoriums, and other chronic care facilities, as well as family members of the individuals with high risk for influenza. Vaccination not only helps protect themselves but also the vulnerable individuals they serve or are in contact with.
On September 10, Beijing's 2025 flu vaccination program was fully launched. The free vaccination service will conclude at the end of November 2025, while the self-paid vaccination service will continue until the end of February 2026. Individuals who will pay for the vaccination themselves can schedule an appointment through various channels, including the "Jingtong" mini-program, the Capital Vaccination Service App (首都疫苗服务), hotlines of outpatient vaccination sites, and on-site registration. For information about the outpatient flu vaccination sites in Beijing, please visit the website of the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
(Source: Beijing Fabu)