Quick Summary of the Key Points
This year, our country's newly released 2026-2027 influenza vaccination guidelines officially eliminated the recommendation for the quadrivalent influenza vaccine, which had been in use for many years, and replaced it entirely with a trivalent vaccine. The main reason for this change is that the B-type influenza virus, which the quadrivalent vaccine covered, has not been detected in any natural infections globally for four years. This means that the risk it posed has completely disappeared, making it unnecessary to continue using the quadrivalent vaccine. This adjustment not only changes the way ordinary people choose their influenza vaccines but also affects the competitive landscape, pricing strategies, and vaccination benefits within the entire influenza vaccine industry.
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Detailed Explanation in Plain Language
1. The Elimination of the Quadrivalent Vaccine is Not a Reduction in Protection
Many people might think, "The quadrivalent vaccine provides more protection than the trivalent vaccine; does switching to the trivalent vaccine mean the vaccine is less effective?" This is not the case at all. The additional protection provided by the quadrivalent vaccine against the B/Yamagata strain of B-type influenza has not been found in any natural infections worldwide since March 2020, indicating that this strain has essentially "become extinct." In February of this year, the WHO removed this strain from its recommended list of influenza vaccines. All influenza vaccines used in our country are provided by the WHO, so the recommendations were naturally adjusted accordingly. The new trivalent vaccine covers all currently circulating strains of A-type influenza (H1N1 and H3N2) and the remaining B-type influenza (Victoria strain), providing the same level of protection as the previous quadrivalent vaccine, if not better.
2. There's No Longer a Need to Worry About Which Vaccine Type to Choose
This year, the decision-making process for getting an influenza vaccine has become simpler for the general public. There's no longer the confusion between trivalent and quadrivalent vaccines:
- All influenza vaccines available on the market, which have passed national quality inspections (as mentioned in the news), are trivalent. They are divided into two types: inactivated vaccines for people of all ages over 6 months old (available in 0.25ml and 0.5ml doses for children and adults, respectively) and live attenuated vaccines for children aged 3-17 years old that do not require injections.
- The recommended vaccination period is still from September to October, but you can get vaccinated at any time during the winter and spring flu season without having to get vaccinated multiple times.
- A new benefit this year is that the state has explicitly allowed the use of balances from employees' medical insurance accounts to pay for influenza vaccine costs at designated medical institutions. This means that many people can get vaccinated without having to pay out of pocket.
3. The Harmful Price Wars in the Vaccine Industry Have Come to an End
The chaotic situation in the influenza vaccine market in previous years is well-known: annual price wars led to the government-purchased price of trivalent vaccines dropping to as low as 5.5 yuan per dose, which was cheaper than bottled mineral water. As a result, companies could not make a reasonable profit and either reduced production or cut corners on distribution and promotion, often leading to shortages during the flu season. With the quadrivalent vaccine no longer being recommended, all 128 batches of influenza vaccines that have obtained market approval this year are trivalent. Three companies—Sinovac, Hualan Biological, and Sinopharm—account for half of the supply. This has reduced competition, and the government-purchased price of trivalent vaccines has risen to 9 yuan per dose, giving companies the incentive to stock up in advance and ensure adequate supply. The shortages seen in previous years are unlikely to occur this year.
4. This Adjustment May Solve the Longstanding Problem of Low Influenza Vaccination Rates
In our country, the influenza vaccination rate has consistently been around 5%, with less than 5% of the population getting vaccinated. This is far below the WHO's recommended 75% threshold. There were three main reasons for this situation: first, the marketing campaign suggesting that the quadrivalent vaccine was superior led people to believe that the cheaper trivalent vaccine was ineffective, causing them to wait until after the vaccination season to get the more expensive quadrivalent vaccine; second, the high cost of the quadrivalent vaccine meant that limited public funding could only cover a small portion of the population; third, companies lacked the motivation to promote vaccinations in communities and schools. With the entire market now using trivalent vaccines, the barrier to vaccination has been removed, and there's no longer a need to worry about cost-effectiveness. Additionally, the lower cost of trivalent vaccines means that the same budget can cover a much larger number of people. With the addition of the option to use medical insurance, the vaccination rate is likely to increase steadily in the coming years.