Vaccinate massively against influenza could ease pressure on hospitals to a second wave of the pandemic this winter.
The world’s leading manufacturers of influenza vaccines have produced a record number of doses for the season 2020-2021, the authorities, hoping to relieve the hospitals by the sick of the flu so that a rebound of the pandemic Covid-19 is expected.
just for the 330 million Americans, a total of 194 to 198 million doses of vaccine will be produced this season, compared with 175 million last year, an 11% increase, according to the Centres for the prevention and control of diseases (CDC).
The networking giant pharmacy CVS, where vaccination is done without order, has ordered the double-dose compared to 2019, $ 18 million.
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The manufacturer Seqirus table on 15% more production (60 million doses) compared with 52), as is Sanofi ($80 million versus 70). At the global level, the French group recorded an increase of 20%.
“We have received a request giant of our clients,” said Michael Greenberg, chief medical officer for the vaccine in North America of Sanofi Pasteur, which is one of three major manufacturers with Seqirus and GSK. Sanofi has shipped its first batch on July 22, three weeks earlier than in 2019.
“Very worried”
The flu has killed between 24,000 and 62,000 people in the United States last year. By helping to free up hospital beds, influenza vaccination is regarded as one of the public health measures to cushion the epidemic, the Covid-19.
“I’m very worried for the fall”, told AFP Lawrence Gostin, of Georgetown university, who called in the medical journal Jama to a strong offensive campaign of vaccination or a vaccination requirement in the schools. “The people do not think of the flu, they do not think that the Covid”.
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The Americans are already among the most vaccinated in the world against the flu: vaccination is recommended from the age of six months, when other countries, including France, the recommend that people at high risk of complications, including those over 65.
the Results, 63% of children and 45% of american adults were vaccinated in 2018-2019 — and 68% of those over 65 years, compared with half in France. But this year, Americans will have to change their habits. “A lot of people are normally vaccinated at work, or on the campus, but many companies or schools are closed,” warns Lawrence Gostin.
Good year for influenza ?
The industry is established: in February and march, the world health Organization and national health authorities will select four strains of influenza virus most likely to be circulating the following winter in the northern hemisphere.
hundreds of millions of eggs –the traditional environment to incubate the virus before the inactivation and vaccines– are delivered to the laboratories, then the production continues throughout the spring, until the filling of the syringes in the summer.
To Sanofi in the United States, it all happens in two factories in Pennsylvania and in the State of New York. The same that could produce a future vaccine against the new coronavirus. But for the moment, there is no competition, ” said Michael Greenberg, and the u.s. government has donated two billion dollars to the group to expand its production lines.
“We have everything we need and we work closely with our providers of flasks and syringes for the coming years”, said of his side, Dave Ross, director of commercial operations of Seqirus in North America, on the glass and other materials for distribution that will be critical to future vaccine anti-Covid. An optimistic scenario is also possible for the winter : the gestures of the barrier and the port of the mask should reduce the incidence of all respiratory viruses, including influenza.
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“We hope that all of this will pay dividends, and that there will be less flu,” says Henry Bernstein, school of medicine, Hostra/Northwell, also a member of the advisory council on immunization practices.
