“This means that getting a flu vaccine this season reduced the risk of having to go to the doctor because of flu by nearly 60 percent,” Joseph Bresee, MD, chief of CDC’s Epidemiology and Prevention Branch, said in the statement. “It’s good news and underscores the importance and the benefit of both annual and ongoing vaccination efforts this season.”
Flu vaccines are formulated based on the best predications made by researchers looking ahead to next year’s seasons, according to research reported by Becker’s Hospital Review earlier this week. Flu activity started a bit later this season than usual, and has been consistently lower than the previous three years, according to the CDC.
More articles on influenza:
Outpatient flu visits across US spike to highest proportion this season
Ethnic background a factor in patient response to flu vaccine, study suggests
CDC issues emergency advisory on severe cases of flu being reported
