The first data on how well the flu vaccine is working this season in North America has just been published.
The main flu subtype going around in the U.S. and Canada this season is H3N2. A recent study from the journal Eurosurveillance, Europe's journal on infectious disease surveillance, found that the vaccine in use this season is only 10 percent effective.
RELATED
• Deadly flu season still not peaked, CDC says
• When should you go to the hospital with the flu?
• Pharmacist recommends making a 'flu kit'
To produce flu vaccines, manufacturers must grow flu viruses. Researchers discovered long ago that a flu virus grows extremely effectively in eggs. However, researchers also found that there are problems with the egg-based approach that specifically relate to H3N2, and those issues are contributing to lower efficacy this season.
When a vaccine recommended to everyone is found to be only 10% effective during an epidemic flu season, the need for change is clear. Here is a link to an article on the topic: https://t.co/7QlrOYQD82 and here is a resource to help you stay healthy: https://t.co/kheR1X26qc pic.twitter.com/839mrksXs6
— Holistic Health (@HolisticHlthPDX) February 2, 2018