Since the 2004-2005 flu season, when the CDC started looking at flu vaccine effectiveness, flu shot effectiveness at preventing medical visits associated with the flu has ranged from 10 percent to 60 percent.
The flu vaccine isn’t well matched for the flu strain that is currently circulating the country. “Flu viruses change constantly and the drifted H3N2 viruses did not appear until after the vaccine composition for the North Hemisphere had been chosen,” a CDC statement reads.
Despite the reduced effectiveness of this season’s vaccine, the CDC and others still urge citizens to get a flu shot, as it does protect against some of this season’s circulating viruses and can still prevent some infections.
More articles on the flu:
5 ways to prevent infection spread in waiting rooms
Mount Sinai Health CEO: ‘Universal’ flu vaccine a possibility
CDC: Antivirals are underutilized to fight the flu
