Coming down with the flu is not something that many people hope for from year to year. Whether your job requires it or your mom perspires over it, getting the flu vaccine is something that should be considered annually. According to the CDC, since the start of the current flu season in October, approximately 31,000,000 individuals have been affected by the flu and anywhere between 12,000 and 30,000 flu related deaths have occurred, as a result. Based on these statistics, to some people, the decision to get vaccinated may seem like a no-brainer. For others however, the decision is a lot more challenging than one might imagine.
The Problem
Generally speaking, an increase in the number of people that tested positive for the flu was observed between September 2019 and January 2020, based on a flu report provided by the CDC. This is not an uncommon trend given that the flu is endemic in the United States in the late fall and early spring seasons. However, the number of people diagnosed with type A flu has grown significantly over time, in comparison to type B. This trend may be attributed to a variety of factors such as declines in vaccination rates in general and antigenic drift. Antigenic drift can negatively impact the effectiveness of the flu vaccine from year to year, which can result in an increase in the number of people that test positive for the infection. This explains why such a large percentage of the population continues to be burdened by the flu each year.
The Solution
According to current reports on antigen characterization, the antigens associated with various strains of type A flu and type B flu that have been diagnosed this season, are very similar to those that were present in this year’s vaccine. This particular vaccine is a cell-based candidate vaccine virus that was recommended by the World Health Organization and is thought to be more protective against type A and type B strains of the flu than vaccines that were previously egg-based. The live-attenuated vaccine, which is a nasal spray recommended by The Advisory Committee on Immunization, was also thought to show promising results this flu season. This may suggest an improved efficacy of this year’s vaccine, compared to last year, when evaluated at the end of this flu season. It is important to note however, that regardless of how effective the vaccine is from year to year, any protection against the flu provided by the antigens present in these vaccines is more effective than no protection at all.
Marvelous Microogranisms 