Flu Shot Seems to Be More Effective at Preventing the Flu than Last Season’s Flu Shot

According to U.S. health experts, the Flu vaccine is shaping up to be 47% effective at preventing the types of flu severe enough to send an individual to the doctor’s office. According to The New York Times, health experts look for a flu vaccine to be effective in 40% to 60% of individuals. An early snapshot of this flu season shows that the type of flu going around is less severe than last season; however, an estimated 10,000 to 16,000 people have died from flu and its complications this season. Additionally, officials are still encouraging people to get vaccinated against the flu because it is unclear if this flu season has peaked.

The reason the flu shot is less effective than other vaccines, like MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), is because there are so many different types of influenza strains; thus, a flu shot that is 40-60% effective represents a highly effective influenza vaccine. Because of the difficulty inherent in creating a flu vaccine effective against so many strains of the illness, reporting regarding the efficacy of these vaccines can make the flu shot seem ineffective and encourage people to go unvaccinated. Public Health Officials are working to combat the perception. Due to the deadly nature of influenza and its associated complications, it is very important to get a flu vaccine, particularly for young children and older adults.

While complications and side effects of the flu vaccine are rare, they do occur. The Greenwood Law Firm is here to assist those individuals who have been hurt by a vaccine. If you or a loved one has been hurt by a flu vaccine, please call us for a free consultation.