09/11/2023

Flu Shots Should Work Well This Year

However, experts' predictions aren’t always perfect

Different strains of influenza circulate from year to year, which means making the annual flu shot is always a bit of a gamble. Twice a year, the World Health Organization (WHO) consults experts from around the world to help inform its recommendations about which strains should be targeted by the shots used in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Experts' predictions aren’t always perfect, which is why flu shot efficacy varies depending on the season.

Preliminary data published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests this year’s gamble may pay off.

Flu shots used during the beginning of the Southern Hemisphere’s flu season—spring and summer in the Northern Hemisphere—did a good job of keeping people out of the hospital, which suggests the same may be true during the U.S.’s looming fall and winter flu season.

Please select this link to read the complete article from TIME.