GSK seasonal flu vaccine available

• After corona vaccination: focus on other vaccine-preventable diseases
• Simultaneous vaccination against other diseases with flu vaccination possible

GSK ^1's quadruple flu vaccine is available for the upcoming seasonal flu vaccination. It is approved for people aged 6 months and over. ¹ The quadruple vaccines contain two Influenza A strains (H1N1 and H2N3) and two B lines (Influenza B-Yamagata and Influenza B-Victoria) and thus achieve broad coverage. In accordance with the requirements of the World Health Organization (WHO), both influenza A strains (H1N1 and H2N3) were exchanged compared to the previous year. The strain composition of the flu vaccines has to be adjusted every year to the current epidemiological situation because the circulating influenza viruses change.

For this autumn, after the ongoing Corona topic, other vaccine-preventable diseases should come back into focus. In the case of influenza, for example, are we at risk of a rebound effect with high numbers of infections due to the low level of infection in the past season? It is all the more important to have a flu vaccination this fall.

The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) recommends the annual flu vaccination, especially for people over 60 years of age and for pregnant women from the second trimester of pregnancy, and from the first trimester of pregnancy in the case of increased health risks due to an underlying disease. ^2,3 It also recommends vaccinating children, adolescents and adults with an increased health risk as a result of an underlying condition such as asthma, diabetes, chronic cardiovascular, liver or kidney diseases. Medical staff and people with large amounts of public traffic should also be protected against influenza. Although the STIKO has recommended a high-dose flu vaccine for people over 60 years of age since January 2021, ⁴Standard flu vaccines can also be given this season. These are also reimbursed by the health insurance companies. ⁵

Flu vaccine can be combined

The upcoming flu season makes high vaccination rates desirable, especially among the elderly, especially in view of the difficult to assess corona pandemic situation. Every visit to the doctor, for example at a flu vaccination appointment, should be used for a vaccination certificate check. ⁶ With a flu vaccination, people aged 60 and over can be protected against other diseases that are relevant to them at the same time: for example, vaccination against diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, pneumococcal infection and shingles (herpes -Zoster) possible. The joint administration of the vaccinations recommended by STIKO for the age group 60 plus in the opposite arm can save doctor's appointments and thus time.

"Made in Germany": GSK produces flu vaccine in Dresden

The quadruple flu vaccine from GSK Biologicals is manufactured in Germany in the Dresden plant and is also part of the reserve of the Federal Ministry of Health. ⁷ GSK's highly innovative production site with around 750 employees in the heart of the city of Dresden produces flu vaccines for the world market that are sold in around 50 countries - seasonal flu vaccines for the northern hemisphere in spring and summer, and the southern hemisphere in winter. For almost 50 years now, the seasonal flu vaccine “Made in Germany” has been continuously developed and has been one of the first since 2013 to target the four influenza subtypes.

With the commitment of all Dresden employees, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals supports the non-profit organization "Sonnenstrahl eV" for children with cancer and their families and is a member of the support association of the neighboring Marie-Curie-Gymnasium. In addition, the "Frauenschutzhaus Dresden eV" is supported, which advocates family-friendliness and the protection of women, as well as "Gerede eV", a Dresden association for people with a variety of loves and lifestyles (e.g. lesbians, gays, bisexuals and / or trans people as well Inter *) and their relatives.