This year’s flu shot is only 23% effective as opposed to last year’s vaccine which was 51% effective. Yep, just 23%. ABC news reported yesterday:
In the middle of a bad flu season, it turns out the vaccine doesn’t offer much protection against the flu because the predominant strain is H3N2 because it has mutated since the vaccine was created and manufactured, according to the CDC.
And . . . it is less effective in the demographic that is most encouraged to get the shot, people 50 years and older, and most effective for a portion of the healthiest portion of the population.
People from 18 to 49 are only protected against 12 percent protection of them, but the vaccine offers children between 6 months and 17 years old 26 percent effectiveness. However, the age breakdowns are based on small samples and may change.
Besser explained that vaccines often work differently among different age groups because immune systems are “constantly changing” as people age.
“One of the reasons they developed a high dose flu vaccine for the elderly was because the elderly never respond as well as other age groups, and their risk of having severe flu is the greatest,” he said.
Watch the video. They still recommend getting the shots “incase” it might work for you.
staff