Correct me if I'm wrong. The way flu vaccines are developed is a very hit and miss process.
Indeed. Routine vaccines, such as DPT (diphtheria pertussis tetanus) and MMR (measles mumps rubella), are usually effective. These are usually taken in one course during childhood, and sometimes with boosters once a decade in adulthood.
Seasonal influenza vaccines are often ineffective, due to antigenic drift as the hundreds of unique influenza virus strains constantly mutate.
This is why there is a flu season in the first place, with new flu vaccines marketed annually, as researchers try to guess how to combat the new strains in a given year. Getting a flu shot is no guarantee of not getting the flu.
Correct me if I'm wrong. The way flu vaccines are developed is a very hit and miss process.
Indeed. Routine vaccines, such as DPT (diphtheria pertussis tetanus) and MMR (measles mumps rubella), are usually effective. These are usually taken in one course during childhood, and sometimes with boosters once a decade in adulthood.
Seasonal influenza vaccines are often ineffective, due to antigenic drift as the hundreds of unique influenza virus strains constantly mutate. This is why there is a flu season in the first place, with new flu vaccines marketed annually, as researchers try to guess how to combat the new strains in a given year. Getting a flu shot is no guarantee of not getting the flu.
Correct me if I'm wrong. The way flu vaccines are developed is a very hit and miss process.
Indeed. Routine vaccines, such as DPT and MMR, are usually effective. These are usually taken in one course during childhood, and sometimes with boosters once a decade in adulthood.
Seasonal influenza vaccines are often ineffective, due to antigenic drift as the hundreds of unique influenza virus strains constantly mutate. This is why there is a flu season in the first place, with new flu vaccines marketed annually, as researchers try to guess how to combat the new strains in a given year. Getting a flu shot is no guarantee of not getting the flu.