The net rumor is that 23-valent pneumonia vaccination can prevent the emergence of new crown infection white lung many experts authoritative answer

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Recently, “white lung” has become a hot topic after the new coronavirus infection. The reporter noticed that recently, a message circulated on the Internet that 23-valent pneumonia vaccine can prevent white lung after the new crown infection, and many people urged people to be vaccinated in time, especially vulnerable elderly people.

The so-called white lung, the National Health and Wellness Commission Medical Secretary Jiao Yahui has said that, in general, the lung inflammation is heavier, more exudate, that is, the white image area of 70% to 80%, in the clinical people colloquially called white lung.

So, can the 23-valent pneumonia vaccine really prevent white lung after a new crown infection? How effective can it be? Which people need to be vaccinated ……

The reporter interviewed a number of experts in the field to hear their views.

White lung caused by viral infection

23-valent pneumonia vaccine is difficult to prevent

In clinical practice, doctors have given a definition of white lung.

The director of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Dr. Meng Jie, said in a telephone interview with the reporter that our normal lung tissue was originally a gas-containing cavity, the gas was black on the X-ray, and the lung tissue was filled with exudates when there was inflammation, these exudates were some inflammatory exudates, and the performance under the X-ray examination was a large white, called “white lung This is called “white lung”.

Since white lung is a more serious manifestation of pneumonia, can the 23-valent pneumonia vaccine, which has the word “pneumonia” in it, prevent white lung after a new coronavirus infection?

The 23-valent pneumonia vaccine, also known as the pneumonia polysaccharide vaccine, is designed to prevent pneumococcal disease caused by 23 pneumococcal serotypes and produces antibodies in the body after injection, thus reducing the chances of developing pneumococcal disease.

Professor Fu Chuanxi, vice dean of the School of Public Health and director of the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccines at Zhejiang University of Chinese Medicine, said in a telephone interview, “The 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine can prevent diseases caused by 23 pneumococcal species. These 23 pneumococcal species cover 87% of pneumococcal bacteria that cause invasive pneumococcal disease and 53% of pneumococcal bacteria that cause non-invasive pneumococcal disease.”

This means that the 23-valent pneumonia vaccine prevents pneumonia caused by pneumococci, which are bacterial infections. So, can the 23-valent pneumonia vaccine prevent pneumonia caused by infection with the new coronavirus?

The University of Hong Kong professor and virologist Jin Dongyan said in a telephone interview with reporters that under normal circumstances, there will not be many white lungs after infection with the new coronavirus. When it comes to the causes of white lung, there may be bacterial infection, viral infection, etc., and this vaccine is only for pneumonia caused by pneumococcus.

At the same time, the State Drug Administration vaccines and biological products quality testing and evaluation of key laboratory director Lu Jiahai told reporters that bacterial pneumonia and new coronavirus infection pneumonia pathogens are not the same, vaccination 23-valent pneumonia vaccine to prevent pneumonia caused by the pneumococcus, so this vaccine itself and the new coronavirus is not too related.

“Most of the pneumonia caused by pneumococcus will not form white lung, and pneumonia caused by bacterial infection and pneumonia caused by viral infection are different.” Lu Jiahai stressed.

Fu Chuanxi said the vaccine only prevents lung diseases caused by 23 types of pneumococci, and if the white lung is caused by a virus, it has little to do with the vaccine.

An elderly man receiving the vaccine

If the new crown triggers a combination of bacterial infections

then 23-valent pneumonia vaccine is effective

In that case, is it still necessary to receive this vaccine?

In this regard, Meng Jie said that this vaccine can make the elderly less prone to pneumococcal infection. For many years in our country, pneumococcus is the main factor causing pneumonia, so it is still recommended for the elderly to get this vaccine, especially for the elderly group with underlying lung disease.

“Older adults who present with 50% or even 70% or more of their lungs white because of viral pneumonia can easily develop bacterial pneumonia secondary to it. Whether it’s a hospital-acquired infection or a community-acquired infection, pneumococcus is a relatively common and important causative agent.” Meng Jie introduced.

Fu Chuanxi said that if white lung develops after infection with the new coronavirus, which triggers a combination of bacterial infections, then an early injection of this vaccine is effective.

A July 20, 2021, article titled “Causes and Consequences of COVID-19-Associated Bacterial Infections” showed that a retrospective cohort study of 191 patients in Wuhan showed that half of the people who died after a neo-coronavirus infection had a co-infection with bacteria.

It is well known that infection with the new coronavirus changes the environment of the lungs and, combined with a decreased immunity, the chances of bacterial pneumonia infection rise.

Fu Chuanxi told reporters that, usually, one shot of this vaccine is enough for the average elderly person, and some people with low immune function need another shot after 5 years.

He further noted that in 2018, a study by Ni Jindong and others at the School of Public Health of Guangdong Medical University showed that simultaneous vaccination with pneumonia and influenza vaccines reduced pneumonia morbidity by an additional 15% and death by 19% over influenza vaccine alone; pneumonia morbidity by an additional 24% and death by 28% over pneumonia vaccine alone; and pneumonia by 29% over no vaccination pneumonia morbidity, 38% death, 35% influenza morbidity, and 18% hospitalization than without vaccination.

Regarding the population for the 23-valent pneumonia vaccine, Lu Jiahai believes that not the entire population should be vaccinated; “only high-risk groups need to be vaccinated, and the high-risk group here is the group over 60 years old.”

New crown vaccine and 23-valent pneumonia vaccine are not mutually exclusive

In terms of protecting the elderly, the 23-valent pneumonia vaccine, the New Crown vaccine and the flu vaccine are all important, and there are groups that need all three vaccines.

So, is there any harm in multiple vaccinations and what is the order of vaccination?

In this regard, Fu Chuanxi told reporters that there is no such thing as harm from multiple vaccinations, and different vaccines are not mutually exclusive in the human body.

Lu Jiahai also believes that there is no such thing as harm from multiple vaccinations. He explained from the perspective of the principle of vaccines: “Vaccines target pathogens and use different antigens on the pathogens, and then stimulate specific antibodies to prevent the specific pathogens. In this process, specific vaccines target infections caused by specific pathogens, and vaccines have now been shown to be effective in preventing specific pathogens without side effects.

Regarding the order of vaccination, Chuanxi Fu believes that judging from scientific principles, all vaccines can be administered at the same time. However, in practice, considering that when multiple vaccines are combined, if an adverse reaction occurs, it is difficult to distinguish exactly which vaccine is responsible, therefore, community health centers generally recommend people to take a period of time before receiving another vaccine.

In terms of the order of the 3 vaccinations, Lu Jiahai noted that autumn and winter are the high season for influenza, so the flu vaccine can be given at this stage. “The 23-valent pneumonia vaccine can be given at any time because respiratory infections are found throughout the year.”

As for the new crown vaccination, he believes that it is important to distinguish whether the group is already infected or uninfected first, and if it is already infected, it is recommended to get vaccinated after three months to six months; if it is uninfected, it is recommended to get the new crown vaccination immediately.