It’s flu season, and while many people get their fly shot
many experts are warning that this year’s flu vaccine will be less effective due
to a virus mutation.
The process of making a flu vaccine occurs several months
before the actual flu season. A global group of researchers will pick 3 or 4
influenza strains that they think will infect the northern hemisphere and
develop a vaccine that usually provides 40-60% effectiveness. Each flu strain
is grown in chicken eggs and manipulated to become benign. Since, viruses don’t
naturally grow in eggs they have to first be mutated. It seems that the
mutation to have the virus grow in these eggs to make a vaccine has made this
year’s batch of flu vaccines less effective. The point of comparison for this is
from the terrible flu season that Australia had earlier this year and, they had
used a similar vaccine.
It is estimated that the current vaccine is only going to be
10% effective against H3N2, the main flu strain this year. More bad news: the
H3N2 is more virulent than the H1N1 strain. Even though, the vaccine is said to not be
very effective this year it is better to get the vaccine since it does protect against
other influenza strained. And hey, some protection is better than none, but
brace yourselves everyone.
Jessica Ngo
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