tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Vaccine
. 2026 Mar 17:79:128478.
doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2026.128478. Online ahead of print.
Uptake and effectiveness of a novel seasonal influenza vaccination campaign for school-age children in the 2023/2024 influenza season in Shanghai, China
Qi Ye[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Honghong Chen[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Biyun Jia[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Xiaowei Chen[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Jialei Fan[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Xiling Wang[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Background: Influenza spreads rapidly among school-age children, but vaccination coverage in this population remains low in China. To enhance immunity and reduce seasonal influenza transmission, Minhang District in Shanghai implemented a community healthcare center-based influenza vaccination campaign targeting school-age children during the 2023/2024 season. This study evaluated the campaign's effectiveness in improving coverage and reducing population-level influenza burden.
Methods: Vaccination data for children were collected from 14 communities between September 2023 and March 2024. The population was stratified into five age groups: 6 months-2 years, 3-6 years, 7-18 years, 19-59 years, and ≥ 60 years. Using influenza surveillance data from 2016 to 2024, an age-structured dynamic transmission model assessed how increased coverage among school-age children influenced overall disease burden.
Results: Coverage among school-age children rose to 20.84%, compared with <5% in the previous season and < 1% before 2018/2019. Community-level rates increased from 2.24-6.62% to 17.60-27.80%. Simulations suggested 5627 infections averted among school-age children, equivalent to 2733 cases per 100,000-the largest proportional reduction across age groups. Symptomatic infections, outpatient visits, hospitalizations, and deaths declined by 3313, 1862, 202, and 12 cases, respectively. Indirect benefits were observed among the elderly, with 4391 infections averted (818 per 100,000).
Conclusions: The campaign substantially increased vaccination coverage among school-age children and reduced influenza burden, with additional indirect benefits in other populations. As the first initiative of its kind in Shanghai, it provides practical and policy-relevant guidance for optimizing immunization strategies and enhancing influenza prevention among children.
Keywords: Influenza; Mathematical modeling; School-age; Shanghai; Vaccination; Vaccination coverage.
. 2026 Mar 17:79:128478.
doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2026.128478. Online ahead of print.
Uptake and effectiveness of a novel seasonal influenza vaccination campaign for school-age children in the 2023/2024 influenza season in Shanghai, China
Qi Ye[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Honghong Chen[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Biyun Jia[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Xiaowei Chen[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Jialei Fan[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Xiling Wang[SUP] 4 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 41849897
- DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2026.128478
Background: Influenza spreads rapidly among school-age children, but vaccination coverage in this population remains low in China. To enhance immunity and reduce seasonal influenza transmission, Minhang District in Shanghai implemented a community healthcare center-based influenza vaccination campaign targeting school-age children during the 2023/2024 season. This study evaluated the campaign's effectiveness in improving coverage and reducing population-level influenza burden.
Methods: Vaccination data for children were collected from 14 communities between September 2023 and March 2024. The population was stratified into five age groups: 6 months-2 years, 3-6 years, 7-18 years, 19-59 years, and ≥ 60 years. Using influenza surveillance data from 2016 to 2024, an age-structured dynamic transmission model assessed how increased coverage among school-age children influenced overall disease burden.
Results: Coverage among school-age children rose to 20.84%, compared with <5% in the previous season and < 1% before 2018/2019. Community-level rates increased from 2.24-6.62% to 17.60-27.80%. Simulations suggested 5627 infections averted among school-age children, equivalent to 2733 cases per 100,000-the largest proportional reduction across age groups. Symptomatic infections, outpatient visits, hospitalizations, and deaths declined by 3313, 1862, 202, and 12 cases, respectively. Indirect benefits were observed among the elderly, with 4391 infections averted (818 per 100,000).
Conclusions: The campaign substantially increased vaccination coverage among school-age children and reduced influenza burden, with additional indirect benefits in other populations. As the first initiative of its kind in Shanghai, it provides practical and policy-relevant guidance for optimizing immunization strategies and enhancing influenza prevention among children.
Keywords: Influenza; Mathematical modeling; School-age; Shanghai; Vaccination; Vaccination coverage.