Flu vaccine may be less effective this year

The CDC is warning doctors that the flu vaccine may not be as effective this winter.

Officials say the vaccine does not protect well against the dominant strain seen most commonly so far this year, the H3N2 strain.

That strain tends to cause more death and illness, especially in the elderly. CDC officials say the vaccine should still provide some protection, but it won’t be as good as if the vaccine strain was a match.

KRDO’s medical expert, Dr. John Torres, said it’s common for viruses to mutate.

“That’s what viruses do,” Torres said. “They’ve been doing it for millions of years and that’s how they survive.”

Flu vaccine effectiveness tends to vary from year to year. Last winter, flu vaccine was about 60 percent effective overall, which experts consider good.

Torres said it’s still important for everyone to still get a flu vaccine this year.

“For the one it’s not very effective for, it’s still going to keep people out of the hospital and still going to keep people from dying,” Torres said.