[약업신문][인터뷰] In the coming winter, let’s end the healthy year by getting vaccinated.

It is reported that while awareness of preventing infectious diseases has increased due to COVID-19, interest in preventing infectious diseases other than Corona has decreased. In addition, as a flu advisory is issued for the first time in three years, medical experts recommend that people be vigilant in preventing infectious diseases other than Corona.

In fact, if you look at the vaccination status of the pneumococcal vaccine, which is part of the national compulsory vaccination, among people aged 65 and over, it was found that the number of vaccinations has fallen by around a quarter from around 840,000 in 2020 to 670,000 in 2021. Since the onset of COVID-19, the number of people vaccinated has dropped significantly.

Pneumonia is the third leading cause of death in Korea, with a mortality rate of up to 7%, a disease that should not be taken lightly. In addition, as the number of pneumonia patients increases compared to the previous year, more attention is needed.

Accordingly, through a written interview with Professor Song Joon-young from the Department of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital, we learned about the severity of pneumococcal disease, the need for prevention, and vaccination methods.

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One of the causes of acute bacterial infectious diseases is pneumococcus, and infection with pneumococcus can lead to diseases such as meningitis and bacteremia as well as pneumonia. As such, non-invasive pneumococcal disease (NIPD) and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) caused by pneumococcal infection are referred to as pneumococcal diseases.

The most common is pneumonia. Pneumonia, the third leading cause of death in Korea, is caused by various bacteria and viruses, but 27-44% of cases are caused by pneumococci. In general, the initial symptoms are similar to those of a cold, and if the treatment time is missed, it is fatal enough to lead to death.

In fact, although the current mortality rate due to COVID-19 in Korea is 0.1%, the mortality rate of pneumococcal pneumonia is 5-7%, which is a very fatal disease. In addition, bacteremia occurs in approximately 25-30% of patients with pneumococcal pneumonia, and the death rate of bacteremia reaches approximately 20% and increases to 60% in the elderly.

The resurgence of COVID-19 is also one of the reasons why pneumococcal disease needs to be prevented. According to the research results, when COVID-19 develops at the same time as sepsis and septic shock, including invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), accompanied by mild respiratory symptoms, severe pneumonia, and acute respiratory distress syndrome, it was found that Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) increases the mortality rate approximately 7.8 times compared to the cause of infection alone. In other words, prevention is important because the severity of the disease itself is great, and the severity increases when infected with influenza or COVID-19 at the same time.

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It is clear that only the government and the private sector have been very aware of COVID-19 over the past two and a half years. Medical staff also treated and treated patients with the highest priority on the prevention, treatment and quarantine of COVID-19. I believe that patients have also put off other diseases or general health problems due to the fear of COVID-19.

As social distancing has been lifted to some extent, patients have started to worry about other health problems, which leads to an increase in visits to treat other illnesses.

It is judged that there are not enough measures to prevent other infectious diseases, which had a low interest or vaccination due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the flu vaccine, which got off to a fast start last month due to concerns about the simultaneous outbreaks of flu and COVID-19 (twindemic), it appears that preventive measures against other infectious diseases will be needed for adults their vaccination rates have also decreased during that period. to be ready.

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A representative vaccine for which the vaccination rate has decreased is the pneumococcal vaccine which is included in the national compulsory vaccination for people over 65 years of age.

The vaccination rate of the domestic COVID-19 vaccine reached about 87% after the second dose was completed in October, ranking among the best in the world. On the other hand, if we look at the current status of pneumococcal vaccination among people aged 65 and older, the spread of COVID-19 in Korea began in earnest from about 840,000 cases in 2020 and about 670,000 cases in 2021, when COVID-19 started to be vaccinated , about a quarter of those vaccinated appeared to decline. In addition, as the number of patients has increased significantly among the middle-aged and elderly, the rate of vaccination against shingles, which is recommended for those over 50, has also decreased greatly.

The reasons for the insufficient prevention of other infectious diseases are the reduction in resources and capacity of the government and medical staff due to the continued spread of COVID-19, and the decrease in patient hospital visits due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19. 19. However, in a complex view, there is the physical and psychological burden of additional vaccinations in addition to the COVID-19 vaccine in generally vaccinated people who need to be vaccinated against other infectious diseases, as well as the a prolonged COVID-19 epidemic, causing the household economy to decline and the burden of vaccination costs. I think it would have worked as

C. recent flu and Pneumonia the patient is increasing there are, attack the status quo what about?

The number of pneumonia patients also increased this year compared to the previous year. In fact, the number of pneumonia patients on the 37th week this year was 106, an increase of around 56% and 30% compared to 68 in 2020 and 82 in 2021.

Pneumococcal disease, including pneumonia, is a seasonal disease where the number of patients increases significantly in winter. That is why I want to emphasize that it is a disease that must be prevented along with the flu before the full winter begins.

C. pneumococci a vaccine priority vaccination on the target relevant high risk group Who is?

The risk of pneumococcal infection in healthy adults over the age of 65 is approximately twice the risk for healthy adults aged 50 to 64. Chronic disease is also a major risk factor, and compared to healthy adults aged 18-64, the risk of infection increases fourfold for those with chronic heart disease, eightfold for chronic lung disease , and three times for diabetic patients.

In addition, people with reduced immunity, such as cancer, radiation therapy, and those taking immunosuppressive drugs, are also at great risk, so caution is needed.

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In the case of the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine, since it was first approved by the US FDA in 1983, it has varied clinical experiences for 30 years and has been vaccinated with more than 330 million doses of cumulative distribution worldwide .

In addition, its efficacy and safety profile has been confirmed to the extent that it is included in the National Essential Immunization (NIP) in many countries around the world. 23-valent pneumococcal vaccination can reduce the incidence of pneumococcal pneumonia as well as the risk of death from it.

C. pneumococci a vaccine appropriate vaccination on the way for Submit please.

Currently, there are two types of pneumococcal vaccines that adults can vaccinate in Korea: 13-valent vaccine and 23-valent vaccine.

One of the differences is that the 13-valent vaccine is a conjugate vaccine and the 23-valent vaccine is a polysaccharide vaccine. If the two vaccines are given consecutively, a wider range of serotypes can be prevented and an immune-boosting response can be elicited, so sequential vaccination of the two vaccines is effective in preventing pneumococcal disease.

Therefore, the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases recommends sequential vaccination of the 13-valent vaccine and the 23-valent vaccine for people aged 18 to 64 with chronic illness or immunocompromise. It is recommended that healthy elderly people over the age of 65 receive one dose of the 23-valent vaccine or one dose of the 13-valent vaccine and the 23-valent vaccine consecutively.

Anyone over the age of 50 can receive one dose of the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine, even if it is not recommended for vaccination. Seniors over the age of 65 can receive the 23-valent vaccine free of charge at public health centers and designated medical institutions throughout the country.

C. flu vaccine pneumococci the vaccine The same time vaccination is it possible?

The pneumococcal vaccine can be given at the same time as the flu vaccine. Therefore, you may consider getting the flu shot together when you go to hospital. However, it is recommended that you check your condition and vaccinate by consulting medical staff before vaccinating, and refrain from exercising or drinking too much after the vaccination.

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As we begin a full recovery in our daily lives, it seems necessary to raise the interest of the government, medical staff, and the general public about infectious diseases other than COVID-19. First of all, various government activities to raise awareness of other infectious diseases and vaccination rates carried out prior to COVID-19 should be reconsidered.
Additionally, based on the lessons learned through quarantine and containment of COVID-19, it appears that the containment measures for other infectious diseases need to be reviewed once again.

In addition, as all social distancing measures were lifted, personal hygiene and health management became more important. It is recommended that you check the vaccine you need by consulting your medical staff and get vaccinated.